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Rheumatology Fellowship Program

Paramarajan Piranavan, MD

Internal Medicine
Positions Held:
  • Assistant Professor
  • Chief, Division of Rheumatology
  • Program Director, Rheumatology Training Program

The University of Kentucky Rheumatology Fellowship Program has a long-standing tradition of training physicians in the comprehensive care of patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. Rheumatology was formally recognized as an ACGME-accredited subspecialty in 1987, and historical records indicate that fellowship-level training in rheumatology at the University of Kentucky dates back to the late 1980s.

Available ACGME and AMA Green Book records confirm that the program was ACGME-accredited from 1991 to 1997, offering two fellowship positions, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Lightfoot (91-94 and 96-97) and Dr. Rita Egan (94-96). Documentation from earlier periods is incomplete, a limitation acknowledged by both the ACGME and AMA for historical accreditation records from that era.

After a period of inactivity, the fellowship was re-established and continuously accredited beginning in 2007, when Dr. Kristine Lohr joined the department as program director. Under her leadership, the program experienced sustained growth and uninterrupted accreditation for more than 17 years, with a strong emphasis on clinical excellence, scholarly activity, and trainee mentorship.

In July 2024, Dr. Paramarajan Piranavan assumed the role of program director. The program continues to evolve within the ACGME framework, maintaining full accreditation while expanding its educational mission, research portfolio, and multidisciplinary training opportunities. 

The fellowship continues to build on its strong foundation while advancing training in clinical rheumatology, complex autoimmune disease, multidisciplinary care models, and academic leadership, with an integrated emphasis on foundational immunology and translational immunology.

Today, the University of Kentucky Rheumatology Fellowship reflects decades of institutional experience and a continuous commitment to excellence in graduate medical education. 

The UK College of Medicine Rheumatology fellowship program in Lexington, Kentucky combines balanced experience in clinical rheumatology, basic science, MSK Ultrasound and research, allowing graduates to pursue either an academic or private practice career. During the two-year program, fellows rotate through adult ambulatory clinics at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. They can also rotate through the pediatric rheumatology clinic at UK and Golisano Children's at UK, and the Lexington Clinic, a private practice setting with adjunct faculty from the University of Kentucky. Fellows will be able to tailor a wide range of research and scholarly activities to their own interests and career goals under the supervision of dedicated and experienced faculty.