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External Support

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is the largest professional organization of physicians, scientists and health professionals devoted to the study and treatment of the rheumatic diseases with approximately 8,500 members.

The College’s mission is advancing rheumatology. The ACR meets its mission through programs of education, research, advocacy and practice support.

ACR’s vision is:

  • To enhance the value and impact of rheumatology in a changing health care environment

ACR endorses the following core values in support of its vision and mission:

  • Professionalism, Sustainability, Service, Innovation

Financial support is essential to the ACR’s ability to achieve its strategic goals. We recognize that in part, generous contributions made by external entities are functional components of the ACR’s capacity to continue to meet its mission and realize its vision on behalf of thousands of health care professionals nationwide. Therefore, ACR solicits and accepts support from external entities for a variety of activities. This support is utilized to help the ACR offset costs and is done in accordance with ACR’s Guiding Principles, as well as appropriate external guidelines, including ACCME Standards for Commercial Support and PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the CMSS Code for Interactions with Companies.

Annually, ACR releases support opportunities that enable organizations to benefit from increased corporate awareness, enhanced visibility of corporate or brand messaging, recognition of new products/services, and to demonstrate community responsibility.

ACR Support Opportunities

The Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP), a division of the American College of Rheumatology, is a professional membership society composed of non-physician health care professionals specializing in rheumatology, such as advanced practice nurses, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychologists, social workers, epidemiologists, physician assistants, educators, clinicians, and researchers.

The ARHP offers educational opportunities and networking resources for health professionals in the field of rheumatology. As a division of the College and through ACR staff, ARHP also solicits and accepts commercial support for a variety of activities. The ongoing commitments made by industry enable the ARHP to continue to offer outstanding educational activities to health professionals in the field of rheumatology.

ARHP Support Opportunities

Through the ACR Research and Education Foundation, the ACR seeks to increase research in the rheumatic diseases while fostering the careers of young investigators. The ACR works to increase federal funding for research in the rheumatic diseases. The College is also an advocate in the formulation of public policy relating to the care of people with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.

The ACR Research and Education Foundation’s mission is advancing research and training to improve the health of people with rheumatic diseases.

Attracting more quality doctors to the rheumatology field, and keeping them, is significantly influenced by the availability of rheumatology training and research funding.

For the past 25 years, the ACR Research and Education Foundation has offered an extensive core awards and grants portfolio that exists to train and develop rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals and nurture novel research ideas for the future.

The core awards are designed to select the best in each niche of rheumatology, foster their ideas, and prepare them for larger awards and grants from other institutions to sustain their long-term careers.

This formula has allowed the REF to grow into the premier private source of funding for rheumatology training and research in the U.S., funding more than $5 million annually through its core awards and grants program.

REF Core Education & Training Awards

Recruiting more quality rheumatologists starts with strong academic training centers. The REF is the premier private national organization dedicated to strengthening the national rheumatology academic training environment.

Ten year growth of the REF’s core education and training awards program has resulted in a nearly 50 percent increase in the number of Fellows completing rheumatology training in the 107 ACGME U.S. accredited programs.

The REF education and training awards help to cultivate future generations of rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals.

REF Core Research Awards

Establishing a research career in the rheumatology field requires the availability of major research funding. Increasing concerns over shortfalls in federal funding for investigator-driven rheumatologic research have forced many physician-scientists and health professionals to reconsider their careers.

To combat this, the REF provides research awards designed to attract early and mid-career investigators to continue vital research into the cause, prevention and treatment of rheumatic diseases.

Through these programs, the REF ushers in tomorrow’s rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals which translates into improved patient care for those affected by rheumatic diseases.

ACR REF Charitable Contribution and Donor Opportunities

Commercial Support Opportunities
Industry Roundtable
Core Awards and Grants
Global Initiatives

Amy Beith Miller
Director, Corporate Relations
E-mail:
Phone: (404) 633-3777, ext. 306

Annual Scientific Meeting Exhibit Hall and Related Opportunities
Clinical Symposia Tabletop Displays

Stacey Chandler
Director, Expositions
E-mail:
Phone: (404) 633-3777, ext. 336

Within Our Reach Disease-Targeted Research Initiatives


Paula Reed
Senior Director, REF Development
E-mail:
Phone: (404) 633-3777, ext. 319