- Fellowship - University of Minnesota (2011-2013), Rheumatology
- Residency - Saint Mary's Health System (2007-2009), Internal Medicine
- Internship - Saint Mary's Health System (2006-2007)
- Medical School - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (1994-2001)
Fatemeh Ezzati, M.D.
- Internal Medicine - Rheumatology Diseases
- Vasculitis
- Relapsing Polychondritis
Biography
Fatemeh Ezzati, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern. She specializes in rheumatic and autoimmune diseases.
Dr. Ezzati completed her internal medicine internship and residency training at Yale-affiliated St. Mary’s Hospital in Connecticut. Following that, she worked as an attending physician in the Department of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine’s St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center before undertaking a rheumatology fellowship at the University of Minnesota. After her fellowship, Dr. Ezzati worked at Southern California Kaiser Permanente and subsequently joined the rheumatology division at the UT Southwestern in Dallas.
Dr. Ezzati was involved in several research projects during her fellowship training and continued to pursue clinical research since joining the UT Southwestern staff in 2015.
Dr. Ezzati is a member of the American College of Rheumatology.
Meet Dr. Ezzati
Rheumatologist and Autoimmune Disease Specialist in Dallas
Rheumatic disease includes a wide variety of medical conditions, but they all share one thing in common: They can be difficult to diagnose. Fatemeh Ezzati, M.D., uses her expertise in rheumatology and autoimmune diseases to help her patients navigate the twists and turns of these often-mysterious, frequently frustrating illnesses.
The markers for rheumatic and autoimmune illnesses often manifest over a period of time, and there may be overlap of different rheumatic conditions, which can make the diagnosis even more challenging.
“It is the nature of these diseases. It just takes a while to put together all the information: medical history, physical exam, lab tests, and imaging studies,” Dr. Ezzati says. “And it’s very normal for a patient to see a rheumatologist, have all these studies done, and still not get a definitive diagnosis; then, a few years later, more of the symptoms emerge, more pieces come together, and it becomes clear that the patient does have a certain disease.”
People with rheumatic and autoimmune illnesses often feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and distressed by the diagnostic process. And once they do get a diagnosis, they may become even more anxious about their health and the potential outcome of their illness. Dr. Ezzati says that her main goal is to help her patients understand the reality of their disease.
“In many cases, with the appropriate treatment, these diseases are manageable and my patients can go on with their lives,” she says. “They can live well.”
Advancing Care through Research
Although rheumatic illnesses can be challenging puzzles to diagnose and manage, Dr. Ezzati notes the field as a whole is evolving rapidly, with new understanding and new treatments emerging at an exciting pace.
These advances directly benefit her patients. For example, many of Dr. Ezzati’s patients have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic inflammatory disease that only two decades ago had no effective treatment. Today, a new class of medications can control symptoms of joint and skin involvement very well in many patients. These drugs, known as biologics, are made up of molecules that target the specific immune system cells that are active in the disease process.
“We have achieved great results with these agents, and we are excited about what we’ll be able to do in the future,” she says.
Dr. Ezzati enjoys participating in clinical trials that evaluate new drugs and new strategies that may improve management of lupus and other autoimmune diseases.
“I really enjoy being in an academic environment here at UT Southwestern because I can teach, do research, and offer my patients the very latest in treatment options,” she says.
Bringing comfort and confidence back to her patients is a main driver in Dr. Ezzati’s work.
“I get a lot of satisfaction from helping people who have been struggling with serious health problems over a long period of time,” she says. “Developing a long-term friendship with my patients is what’s most gratifying.
Education & Training
Professional Associations & Affiliations
- American College of Rheumatology (2013), Member
Research
- Systemic Lupus Erythematous
- Spondyloarthropathy
- Myopathy and Myositis
- Inflammatory Arthritis
Clinical Focus
- Vasculitis
- Relapsing Polychondritis
- Spondyloarthropathy
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
- IGG4 Related Disease
- Systemic Sclerosis
- Interstitial Lung Disease (Pulmonary Fibrosis)
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Sjogren's Syndrome
- Myositis
- Sarcoidosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Crystalline Arthropathies
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Q&A by Dr. Ezzati
Results: 2 Locations
Rheumatology
at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Park Cities 8611 Hillcrest Road, 2nd Floor, Suite 210Dallas, Texas 75225 214-692-3100 Directions to Rheumatology Parking Info for Rheumatology