Virtual rheumatology during COVID-19: ‘A gift in a seemingly ugly package’

It is very humbling to submit our initial observation as the first academic division of Rheumatology in Tahlequah, the capital of Cherokee Nation (CN). The division started in the midst of COVID 19 pandemic. Telemedicine is routinely and successfully implemented to serve the vast unmet needs of the residents of this kind rural community. Training of the medical students from the novel Oklahoma State University (OSU) Medical School at Cherokee Nation, and the residents from the Northeastern Health System/OSU Internal Medicine Program as well as the OSU CN Family Medicine Program is being accomplished through the Rheumatology service. Musculoskeletal Ultrasound training and patient service is being imparted on a regular basis as Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS). To the best of our awareness, this is the first such observational submission and service of Rheumatology from the CN area.