Houston Methodist Division of Rheumatology

As a collaborative group of board-certified rheumatologists, fellows and clinical staff, we are dedicated to exceptional patient care, education and innovative research. Our faculty bring extensive expertise in autoimmune and inflammatory disease care and actively participate in national and international research collaborations. 

 

Our ACGME-accredited Rheumatology Fellowship accepts two fellows each year for a rigorous two-year program that includes advanced ultrasound training, comprehensive clinical experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and opportunities for translational research. Infusion nurses support seamless, patient-centered care, while close partnerships with pulmonology, nephrology, cardiology, neurology and radiology create a multidisciplinary environment that advances clinical practice and innovation. 

Our Faculty ➝   Our Physicians ➝ 

We push the boundaries of what is possible through groundbreaking rheumatology studies supported by the most advanced medical technology and innovative research tools. Sarah Kazzaz, MD, was recently tasked to help lead our group of rheumatologists in the launch of a CAR T-cell therapy clinical trials for various autoimmune diseases like lupus nephritis, ANCA vasculitis, myositis and scleroderma. Myriam Guevara, MD, will be leading CAR NK-cell therapy for lupus nephritis.

 

Collaboration is at the core of our research efforts. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with The Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics to advance our work. Recent achievements include studies led by Kanika Monga, MD, in partnership with pulmonology on the use of BENLYSTA in patients with scleroderma, and retrospective analyses by Myriam Guevara, MD, on lupus nephritis.

 

Lily Romero Karam, MD, received the Shirley and Joseph Swinbank Scholar Award through The Immunology Center to support her scholarly development in musculoskeletal ultrasound. She has since launched a Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Training Curriculum for our fellows and begun a study on salivary gland ultrasonographic findings in patients with early Sjögren’s Syndrome.

 

Our rheumatologists are dedicated to the advancement of the field of rheumatology for both current and future generations. 

Our division is proud to be actively engaged in a wide range of educational activities for medical students, internal medicine residents and rheumatology fellows. Our goal is to provide comprehensive clinical exposure, structured didactics, interdisciplinary collaboration and opportunities for scholarly growth at every stage of training.  

Our two-year ACGME-accredited Rheumatology Fellowship trains the next generation of exemplary rheumatologists. We recruit two fellows per year to receive extensive training in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Led by fellowship program director Myriam Guevara, MD, this flourishing program attracts top candidates with a strong match rate. 

We offer biweekly didactics, board reviews and multidisciplinary conferences. Our fellows engage in research projects and present findings at local, regional, national and international conferences. They also receive opportunities to participate in elective rotations including ILD clinic, osteoporosis clinic, sports medicine, cardiac sarcoidosis and neuroimmunology. We also collaborate with MD Anderson in offering a special elective in malignancy-associated rheumatologic conditions, as well as with UT Physicians for a pediatric rheumatology elective. These experiences serve to enhance the much-needed multidisciplinary approach to the care of rheumatology patients. 

Academic initiatives include training Houston Methodist Internal Medicine Residency students, as well as offering training for EnMed students through our collaboration with Texas A&M University. The division hosts continuing education seminars, including the Peter Udelhoven Annual Memorial Lectureship on Vasculitis and the Jovan Popovich Annual Memorial Lectureship.