Endocrinology Fellowship Program

Curriculum & Rotations

The curriculum of the pediatric endocrinology training program is designed to fulfill the educational goals of clinical education, research, teaching and lifelong learning. Each area involves several teaching methodologies, including one-on-one teaching, "hands-on" education, independent study and formal didactic sessions.

All Years

• Research: Increasing protected research time per year of training
• Career Development: Formally meet with program director and scholarship oversight committee twice yearly. Committee participation (i.e., IRB, clinical research review committee).
• National Conferences: Fellows are expected to attend one of the major meetings (PES, ENDO, ADA) at least once during their training with the opportunity to attend annually.
• Supplemental Coursework: Fellowship core curriculum, conferences and board review.
• Social Activities: Winter holiday party, graduation banquet, fellowship reunion dinners at major conferences.

Year 1 Rotations

• Inpatient Experience: Total of 17 weeks covering endocrinology service and consults at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
• Outpatient Experience: Diabetes and endocrinology — 6 half-day sessions per week.
• Research: Brainstorm project ideas and grant writing. Make preparations for 2nd year research project.
• Career Development: Choose a mentor.

Year 2 Rotations

• Inpatient Experience: Total of 13 weeks covering endocrinology service and consults at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
• Outpatient Experience: Diabetes and endocrinology — 4 half-day sessions per week. Continuity clinic — 1 half-day a week.
• Research: IRB and funding. Start research project. Quality improvemet project
• Career Development: Explore career interests.

Year 3 Rotations

• Inpatient Experience: Total of 10 weeks covering endocrinology service and consults at Wolfson Children’s Hospital
• Outpatient Experience: Additional clinic opportunities per request.. Continuity clinic — 2 half-day sessions a week.
• Research: Present work at national conferences. Manuscript preparation and submission for publication.
• Career Development: Apply for jobs/interviewing.

Patient Care

Clinical training is extremely broad in scope, and well balanced between general endocrinology and diabetes in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Our fellows participate in clinical care throughout their three years of training. Fellows are expected to progress in responsibility and independence throughout their training.

The clinical experience of the fellows includes, but is not limited to, training in the following areas:

• Short stature, including constitutional delay
• Disorders of anterior pituitary hormone physiology, including growth hormone deficiency
• Disorders of posterior pituitary hormone physiology, including diabetes insipidus
• Disorders of hypothalamic hormonal regulation
• Disorders of thyroid hormone physiology
• Diagnosis and management of endocrine neoplasia
• Disorders of the adrenal gland physiology
• Disorders of androgen and estrogen metabolism, including adolescent reproductive endocrinology
• Disorders of sexual differentiation and development
• Disorders of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D metabolism
• Disorders of parathyroid gland physiology
• Disorders of fluid and electrolyte balance
• Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, including diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia
• Disorders of nutrition, including eating disorders

Education Conferences

Weekly Conferences

• Pediatric Endocrinology Case Conference (with Nemours cross-campus and alumni participation)
• Pediatric Endocrinology Core Lectures (led by faculty and fellows)
• UF Pediatric Grand Rounds (fellows will be asked to speak at this forum at least once during their training)

Biweekly/Monthly/Quarterly Conferences

• Bioethics (in conjunction with the residency program)
• Professionalism
• Pediatric Endocrinology Journal Club
• Pediatric Tumor Board (fellows will present the relevant cases in which they are involved)
• Pediatric Endocrinology Board Review (case-based questions, moderated by faculty)

Courses (live and web-based)

• Clinical Genetics for the Pediatric Subspecialist
• FunCATS (Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences program)
• Biostatistics
• Quality Improvement
• University of Florida Teaching (skills seminar)

Research Experience

Diverse research opportunities exist within the Nemours Pediatric Division of Endocrinology, as well as in collaboration with other divisions and departments within Nemours.

• Weekly pediatric endocrinology research meeting
• Regular research mentor meetings
  
• Nemours Research Conference

Examples of fellows' projects:

• Recombinant human growth hormone (GH): effects on metabolic profile, body composition and skeletal muscle strength and function in prepubertal short boys with and without GH deficiency
  
• Safety of low and very low carbohydrate diets in young children with Type 1 diabetes
• Impact of short bouts of exercise ("exercise snacks") and glutamine on glucose homeostasis and body composition in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes: a pilot, randomized study  
• Age-specific timing of gonadotrophin peak during GnRHa testing 
• Dysglycemia and obesity: impact on the brain in adolescents with Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Metabolic effects of oral vs. transdermal 17β estradiol: a randomized clinical trial in girls with Turner syndrome
• Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of oral and transdermal 17β estradiol in girls with Turner syndrome
• Does oral glutamine improve insulin sensitivity in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes?
• Urine calcium-to-creatinine ratio as a potential noninvasive screen for vitamin D deficiency
• Effects of improved glycemic control on blood glutathione concentrations in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes

Other experiences:

• Thyroid biopsy experience (observation)

Learn More About Research Opportunities