Haberman Clinical Fellowship in Vasculitis Excellence
The Vasculitis Foundation is pleased to announce the establishment of the Haberman Clinical Fellowship in Vasculitis. The first fellow will begin training in July 2027. We are grateful to the Haberman Family for their support of this critical program.
The Haberman Clinical Fellowship in Vasculitis Excellence is a one-year, post-subspecialty clinical training program administered by the Vasculitis Foundation (VF) and designed to develop advanced clinical expertise in the diagnosis and management of systemic vasculitis. The award is up to $75,000 for one year. The program is open to physicians who have completed ACGME subspecialty fellowship training in rheumatology, nephrology, or pulmonology and are specifically interested in advanced clinical training in vasculitis. Fellows train for one year at a VF-affiliated vasculitis center of excellence under the direct mentorship of a recognized vasculitis expert, with a curriculum focused on clinical skill development.
Contemporary vasculitis management increasingly requires rapid risk stratification of organ-threatening disease, application of evidence-based, steroid-sparing therapies, and coordination of multidisciplinary care. Fellows completing the program gain the clinical experience needed to function as independent referral experts, build a professional network within the VF community, and help expand the physician workforce equipped to diagnose and manage vasculitis, including in underserved regions.
Candidate Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for consideration, an applicant must:
be committed to providing care to vasculitis patients upon completion of the fellowship
hold a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) (or equivalent) degree
have completed training in Internal medicine and an ACGME Internal Medicine subspecialty (rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonary medicine)
Goals and Objectives
Upon completion of the fellowship, fellows will be able to:
rapidly risk-stratify and manage organ-threatening vasculitis;
design evidence-based induction and maintenance treatment regimens and distinguish disease relapse from chronic damage;
function as an independent referral expert and regional educator in systemic vasculitis; and
establish or enhance a vasculitis program at their home institution, expanding regional access to vasculitis expertise.
Program Structure
Training Site
Training occurs at an established VF-affiliated vasculitis center, under the mentorship of a faculty member with recognized expertise in vasculitis.
The program will have the flexibility to be designed by the identified mentor and fellow applicant. The application should include a statement from the mentor that attests to the commitment of providing the following experience for the fellow.
Clinical and Educational Experience:
intensive clinical training under a recognized vasculitis expert, with high-volume exposure to all major vasculitis subtypes, including rare vasculitides;
management of complex, refractory, and organ-threatening disease within a multidisciplinary care model;
application of evidence-based, steroid-sparing therapeutic strategies informed by landmark trial data (e.g., PEXIVAS, RAVE); and
development of the clinical leadership skills needed to build or direct a vasculitis program.
didactic conferences, grand rounds, case conferences, and journal clubs focused on vasculitis and evolving clinical trial data;
teaching opportunities, including presentations at local grand rounds and case conferences;
national network-building with other vasculitis providers.
Scholarly Requirement
As a clinical fellowship, scholarly work is limited to one required deliverable: a case report or review manuscript, co-authored with the mentor and completed during the fellowship year.
VF Project ECHO
In early 2026, the VF launched the first and only vasculitis-focused hub in the global Project ECHO network, a collaborative, case-based learning model that connects community healthcare providers with specialist teams to expand clinical expertise and improve care for patients with complex conditions. Through regularly scheduled virtual sessions, participants learn from real-world patient cases, brief didactic presentations, and peer discussion to build confidence in diagnosing and managing vasculitis, including when to refer patients for specialized care. Each session brings together one or more vasculitis experts, a case presenter, and a learner audience of community clinicians and other providers.
The fellow is required to participate in all Project ECHO sessions as their schedule permits during the year of support.
Clinical Schedule, Supervision, and Assessment
Clinical time constitutes approximately 50% of the fellow’s effort, structured as a minimum of three to five half-day clinics weekly and some degree of inpatient consultation; the remaining time supports literature review, multidisciplinary consultation, lecture preparation, and the scholarly deliverable. The fellow trains under the direct supervision of an identified mentor with recognized vasculitis expertise, including a minimum of one half-day clinic together weekly. Progress is assessed through periodic written faculty evaluations, and quarterly review with the Program Director, including quarterly submission of ACGME Milestones to the VF.
Fellowship Award
The fellowship award covers:
fellow salary and benefits, provided by the hosting institution
Additional funds can be requested, as needed, and approved at the discretion of the VF for the following for the fellow:
educational materials and resources;
travel support to attend national conferences; and
scholarly output support (publication and presentation costs).
To apply, please see review the information below.
For assistance, please email Joyce A. Kullman, Executive Director, Vasculitis Foundation
jakullman@vasculitisfoundation.org