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Sanford Health
Rapid City, South Dakota

Physician - Rheumatology

Rheumatology 8.3 Work-LifeNo callNo weekendsNo nightsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · Monday – FridayWeekdays only

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland.

  • Visas Accepted
  • H1B or J1
  • Specialty
  • Rheumatology
  • Practice Details
  • Outpatient Rheumatology
  • Sanford Black Hills Market, Rapid City, South Dakota

This is more than joining a practice, it's an opportunity to build one.

We're seeking a BE/BC Rheumatologist to establish a new outpatient rheumatology practice serving the growing communities of the Black Hills. With a strong referral network already in place, you'll step into a practice designed for thoughtful patient care while helping shape the future of rheumatology services in the region.

One of the most exciting aspects of this opportunity is partnering in the development of a new Autoimmune Infusion Center, creating comprehensive care for patients with complex autoimmune diseases close to home.

Practice Highlights

  • 100% outpatient rheumatology
  • Monday–Friday clinic schedule (8:00 AM–5:00 PM)
  • No inpatient responsibilities
  • No after-hours call
  • See approximately 15–20 patients per day
  • Established primary care referral base with immediate patient demand
  • Collaborate closely with a premier orthopedic surgery group and a multidisciplinary team of specialists
  • Opportunity to help design workflows, build the practice, and influence future growth
  • Develop and expand an Autoimmune Infusion Center to provide comprehensive biologic therapy services.

Why This Opportunity?

Physicians often dream about building a practice without sacrificing their personal lives. Here, you can do both.

Enjoy the professional satisfaction of creating a rheumatology program from the ground up while maintaining predictable clinic hours, meaningful patient relationships, and the freedom to enjoy everything the Black Hills has to offer outside of medicine.

Whether your interests include inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue disease, osteoporosis, vasculitis, or infusion-based biologic therapies, you'll have the opportunity to build a practice that reflects your clinical passions.

Community Description

Nestled at the eastern edge of the Black Hills, Rapid City offers an exceptional blend of outdoor adventure, vibrant culture, and family-friendly living. Known as the “Gateway to the Black Hills,” the area provides easy access to iconic destinations like Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, and Custer State Park—making it a haven for hiking, biking, and year-round exploration.

With a population large enough to support diverse dining, shopping, and entertainment, yet small enough to maintain a welcoming, close-knit feel, Rapid City strikes the perfect balance between urban amenities and small-town charm. The region boasts excellent schools, a strong sense of community, and a cost of living below the national average.

Residents enjoy over 200 days of sunshine annually, scenic landscapes in every direction, and a growing arts and downtown scene. Whether you're seeking outdoor recreation, a great place to raise a family, or a supportive professional environment, Rapid City delivers an outstanding quality of life.

Job Description

Rheumatology Core Privileges include the ability to perform history and physical examination, admit (if applicable to the setting), provide consultative services, evaluate, diagnose, treat, and provide consultation to patients of all ages with diseases of the joints, muscles, bones, and tendons.

Qualifications

M.D. or D.O. degree.

Experience can be demonstrated in one of the following ways and should be reflective of the privileges being requested: An applicant who has just completed a fellowship shall provide his/her fellowship log.

OR An applicant who is not applying directly out of a fellowship shall provide a quality profile from hospital(s) where he/she currently has privileges showing his/her clinical activity for the last 12 months, including numbers of procedures performed morbidity, mortality, infection rates, and other complications.

The applicant must be able to demonstrate active involvement of inpatient services to be at least 50 patients in the last 12 months.

OR If a quality profile is not available from the hospital(s) where the applicant currently has privileges, documentation of the applicant’s clinic activity for the last 12 months is required.

The applicant must be able to demonstrate active involvement in the care of 50 patients in clinical practice in the last 12 months. More education and experience may be required the more advanced the practice becomes.

Successful completion of an Internal Medicine or Pediatric residency program, followed by the completion of a fellowship in Rheumatology accredited by the ACGME, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) or the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada.

Training at residency and fellowship programs accredited by organizations other than the above, may be considered via the waiver of eligibility process as defined in the Credentialing Policy.

Certification in the primary area of practice by the appropriate specialty/ subspecialty board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, as applicable.

Those applicants who are not board certified at the time of application but who have completed their fellowship training within the last five years shall be eligible, however must achieve board certification within five years from the date of completion of their fellowship training unless the appropriate governing Board waives such requirement.

(Refer to each entity’s policy for grandfather exceptions) Privileging documents and related credentialing requirements will supersede this job description in defining minimum qualifications, criteria, and scope of practice, if variation between documents exists.

Compensation

Sanford Health offers a nationally competitive compensation plan with an additional physician benefits package including health, dental and vision insurance, 401K plan, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, CME allowance, allowed time away, malpractice insurance and tail coverage, and a relocation allowance.

Recruiter Information

Lisa Vognild, Senior Physician Recruiter Phone: +1 (605) 312-6655 or Email: lisa.vognild@sanfordhealth.org

Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-673-0854 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.

Key Responsibilities

The physician will establish and manage a new outpatient rheumatology practice, including the development of an Autoimmune Infusion Center. Responsibilities include evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients with complex autoimmune and musculoskeletal conditions.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical diagnosisInfusion therapyPediatricsTreatment planningMedical documentationCollaborationPractice development

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Physician - Rheumatology at Sanford Health a 8.3 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as excellent. This places the position in the top 5% in Rheumatology — ranked against 137 active Rheumatology listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties, no weekend requirements, no night shifts.

Rheumatology — Physician Career Context

The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Rheumatologist Jobs

7 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution7 jobs

2
<$330k
1
$350k
3
$360k-390k
0
$390k-420k
1
$420k

Annual compensation range

Work-Life Balance Distribution7 jobs

0
1-2
0
3-4
2
5-6
5
7-8
0
9-10

Higher = better work-life balance

#1

Physician - Rheumatology

Sanford Health · Bemidji, Minnesota

$420k
#2

Rheumatologist Buffalo NY

Healthcare Recruitment Counselors · Williamsville, New York

$375k
#3

Rheumatologist-Optum

$224k-$371k
#4

Rheumatologist

$260k-$360k
+ 5 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 8.3
Among the best 10% of Rheumatology listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 137 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No call
  • No weekends
  • No nights

Living in Rapid City

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$347k
Typical market rent
$1,484/mo
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
89.2
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026).

BEA 2024 · Rapid City, SD metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Sanford Health logo

About Sanford Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Sioux Falls, SD
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401K Plan
Short-Term Disability
Long-Term Disability
Life Insurance
CME Allowance