Welcome to RheumMadness – the place for everyone who is crazy about rheumatology to connect, collaborate, compete, and learn together. RheumMadness is a FREE educational tournament for everyone who is crazy about rheumatology. First time playing? Head over to our RheumMadness 101 page to learn more.
The theme for RheumMadness 2025 is “The Innovation Invitational.” Each of the 12 teams in this year’s tournament is based on a recent article published in the last 2 years vying to be named “the most important article for patients, providers, and/or researchers, both now and in the future.” The teams were proposed by 67 collaborators (20 attendings, 35 fellows, 5 residents, 5 medical students, 2 “other”) from 21 different institutions around the world. Together, these amazing people have written fun and informative scouting reports that will draw attention to some of the latest and greatest innovations in rheumatology, and we can’t wait to share them with you.
How to Play RheumMadness
- Read the scouting reports and listen to the RheumMadness podcast to learn about the teams in the tournament.
- Submit your picks between March 1 through March 31, 2025.
- Enjoy the tournament! The tournament results will be released in 4 rounds from April 1-7, 2025.
How are matches determined?
The winner of each match-up is decided by a "Blue Ribbon Panel" of rheumatologists. The panel will vote based on which topic they think is the most important article for patients, providers, and/or researchers, both now and in the future. The more your picks match those of the panel, the more points you get! Scroll down to learn more about the panel.
What do I get if I win?
Participants with the most correct predictions will "win" RheumMadness. Prizes will be given to participants with the top scores in the following categories: (1) Attending / APP, (2) Fellow, and (3) Resident / Medical Student. The prize is a custom RheumMadness coffee mug and a lifetime of bragging rights. But really, everyone wins in RheumMadness because you get to connect, collaborate, compete, and learn together.
Other ways to connect with RheumMadness
- Subscribe to the RheumMadness newsletter.
- Listen to the RheumMadness podcast, available on all major podcasting apps.
- Follow us on Bluesky!
- Follow us on Instagram!
- Join the conversation on X, formerly known as Twitter using #RheumMadness.
- Explore even more content on the RheumMadness website
RheumMadness on theMednet!
The RheumMadness team is excited to announce continued collaboration with theMednet.org for the 2025 tournament. theMednet is a physician only site providing a space for physicians to tackle difficult clinical questions and see how colleagues are practicing. theMednet will be featuring select Q&A relevant to articles in our 2025 tournament and will provide a space for further discussion and polling around clinical application. Register here for a free account with full access to the site and RheumMadness content!
The 2025 Blue Ribbon Panel
This panel of distinguished rheumatologists will vote to determine which teams advance in the tournament. The more your predictions match those of the panel, the more points you will get in the tournament! Learn more about our panelists below.
Attending panel members:
- Anastasiya (Stacy) Bagrova, MD completed internal medicine residency at Duke, rheumatology fellowship at the University of South Florida, and is now a practicing rheumatologist in Clearwater, FL. Similar to her clinical practice, her clinical interests in rheumatology are broad. Follow her on X at @asbagrova.
- Eric Dein, MD, is currently living in Jersey City, NJ - hometown of the March Madness great Cinderella St Peter's Peacock team. He is currently practicing rheumatology at Atlantic Health System at Overlook Hospital in Summit and West Orange, NJ, after completing medical school, residency and fellowship at Johns Hopkins. He is a USSONAR alumnus who utilizes musculoskeletal ultrasound in diagnosis and management of rheumatic disease. He is currently serving as ACR committee member on the Annual Meeting Planning Committee and enjoys advocacy trips to DC with Advocates for Arthritis. He has been a reporter for RheumNow at rheumatology conferences for the past 5 years. Follow him on X at @ericdeinmd.
- Rebecca Grainger, MB ChB (Dstn), PhD, FRACP, is Professor of Medicine at the University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand. A University of Otago medical graduate, she undertook rheumatology training in Melbourne and her PhD examined inflammatory mechanisms in gout. Dr. Grainger's clinical work focuses on assessment and management of inflammatory arthritis and her particular clinical interests include inflammatory arthritis, gout, and scleroderma. Dr. Grainger's academic interests are wide but she aims to undertake research in clinical rheumatology, health professions education and technology. Follow her on X @Drbeckyg and on Bluesky at @profbeckyg.bsky.social.
- Lakshmi Jayaram, MD, is a clinician educator and Assistant Professor in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University. Her academic interests are mainly in medical education, quality improvement, patient safety and social determinants of health. As a clinician, she is a general rheumatologist with special interests in myositis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, and vasculitis.
- Michele Meltzer, MD, MBE, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She attended Hahnemann Medical School and rheumatology fellowship at Temple University Hospital. In 2007, she completed a Master's of Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Meltzer has been a ACR committee member of Rheumatologic Care and Ethics and Conflict of Interest committees. She serves as President and founding member of Rheumatology for All, a nonprofit whose mission is to increase access to rheumatology care in resource limited areas. She loves that RheumMadness makes learning about rheumatology fun and is accessible to students worldwide. Follow her at @mmeltz.bsky.social.
- Lisa Traboco, MD, is a rheumatologist with a passion for digital health, social media, telemedicine, and medical education. She likes to integrate technology into clinical practice and training, as well as participate in systems implementation. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Health Informatics while working at St. Luke’s Medical Center - Global City in the Philippines. She is also actively involved in APLAR & has been an exchange scholar to Japan and the ACR. Her interests include learning languages, watching K-dramas & visiting historical museums. Follow her on X at @rheumarhyme and Bluesky at @rheumarhyme.bsky.social.
Fellow panel members:
This year, two fellows from the University of South Florida will work together to submit one collective vote for each matchup.
- Noor Bazerbashi, MD, is a second-year rheumatology fellow at the University of South Florida. She has a strong interest in interstitial lung disease and the applications of cellular therapy in rheumatic diseases.
- Molly Leavitt, MD, MBA, is a first-year rheumatology fellow at the University of South Florida. Her interests include medical education and reproductive health for patients with rheumatic diseases.
The RheumMadness Leadership Team
Our leadership team is comprised of attendings, fellows, residents, and medical students from multiple different institutions.
Faculty Leadership
- David Leverenz, MD, MEd is the creator and director of RheumMadness. He is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology.
- Laura Arneson, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University
- Akrithi Udupa Garren, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Medstar / Georgetown Washington Hospital Center.
- Guy Katz, MD is an Instructor in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
- Michael Macklin, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago.
- Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, MD, MEd is an advisor and mentor for RheumMadness. She is a Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology.
- Matthew Sparks, MD is the creator of NephMadness and serves an advisor and mentor for RheumMadness. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology.
Fellow Leaders
Resident Leaders
- Meridith Balbach, MD is an internal medicine resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
- Amanda Rodriguez, DO is an internal medicine resident at Lankenau Medical Center.
- Eric Wilson, MD is an internal medicine resident at Duke University