Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Program Overview
The Nemours Children's pediatric endocrinology fellowship program is a collaborative effort between Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville and the University of Florida College of Medicine–Jacksonville. It is an exciting opportunity for pediatricians interested in training in a state-of-the-art endocrinology clinic with a strong emphasis on clinical research.
Our three-year program, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), is highly successful in clinical research involving growth, puberty, diabetes and bone, to name a few. We have access to a well-staffed clinical research center and excellent laboratory facilities for both biochemical and molecular work.
- Curriculum
- Research & Training
- Salary & Benefits
- Location & Living
- Faculty & Participants
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)
Research
The Nemours Division of Endocrinology has a strong background in research and has a wide variety of projects active at any given time funded by NIH, private foundations and industry. Training has a special focus on clinical research, with fellows functioning as integral members of the research team. Fellows have genuine opportunities for fellow-initiated projects, reviewed and funded through the Nemours Foundation and with close mentorship. The goals include presenting at national or international meetings and manuscript preparation for publication. With the available resources and ongoing projects, fellows are exposed to a wide range of endocrine research topics including, but not limited to, diabetes (pathophysiology and therapeutics), disorders of growth and puberty and thyroid. Fellows also get exposed to a variety of translationally relevant techniques in the design, submission, implementation and execution of research proposals. The program provides an increasing percentage of protected research time throughout the 3 years of training.
Learn More About Research at Nemours
Resources
Clinical Research Center
Wolfson Children’s Hospital has a well-equipped, dedicated clinical research center staffed with experienced specialty-trained nurses. This unit allows the conduct of sophisticated and complex studies involving frequently sampled blood and other body fluids in children and phase I-III drug or device studies. We have access to the physical therapy department equipment in close geographic proximity. We have support from research dieticians and a PhD-level physical therapist. These resources allow for performance of complex endocrine and metabolic studies.
Bone Mineral Density Lab
A DXA scanner is owned by the Nemours research programs. It is located at Wolfson Children's Hospital and is staffed by trained radiation technologists with extensive experience in bone densitometry and body composition. This lab provides fellows the unique exposure to reading and interpreting DXAs for research and clinical applications, a skill often tied to diagnostic radiology, but commonly run by endocrinologists.
Biochemical Analysis, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Laboratory
This laboratory has a whole dedicated floor at the Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville Care building. The lab is well-equipped and is staffed with full-time PhD-level researchers and biochemists, as well as technicians. Collaboration with Wolfson Children’s Hospital, University of Florida Gainesville and Mayo Clinic allows us to expand the breadth of molecular and genetic studies that can be done.
Salary & Benefits
Salary
- $72,604
Benefits
- Medical
- Prescription drug
- Bridge to a Healthy Future coverage for children
- Vision
- Dental
- Basic leave and accidental death and dismemberment
- Supplemental term life
- Voluntary universal life
- Voluntary critical illness
- Malpractice insurance
- Supplemental accidental death and dismemberment
- Disability (STD and LTD)
- Voluntary long term care
- Flexible spending account (FSA)
- Tuition reimbursement
- Retirement
- Dental
- Work cell phone
- Free parking
- Office space
- Administrative support
- Lab coat/jacket
- Reimbursement for licensure, DEA, CDS, required courses (PALS, BLS)
- Personal computer in office, online access
Paid Leave
- Four weeks vacation per year (PTO)
- CME: five days/year plus $1,750 for expenses
Other Benefits
- Health Risk Assessment: Provided to all FT and PT Associates at no cost. Program consists of an online health risk assessment and access to a health coach (care counselor).
- Nurse Help Line: Provided to all FT and PT Associates and their families at no cost. Program provides toll-free access to a registered nurse, 24/7, for health care questions and advice.
- Employee Assistance Program: Program provides confidential, short-term counseling to Associates and their dependents experiencing problems that may be affecting their work or other important areas of their life.
About Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Located downtown on the beautiful St. Johns River, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville is an outpatient pediatric clinic that provides specialized care for children in Northeast Florida, Southeast Georgia and beyond. We also see patients at the adjacent Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
Premier Pediatric Collaboration
Your training is provided through a seamless, time-tested affiliation between Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville and Wolfson Children's Hospital. Our strong weekly academic schedule helps educate residents from the local University of Florida program, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and the combined U.S. Army/Navy program in Bethesda, Md.
Wolfson is the only tertiary referral children’s hospital in the Northeast Florida and Southern Georgia region. The 250-bed facility has 12 operating rooms, with approximately two to three per day dedicated to orthopedics. Wolfson’s Emergency Department is staffed entirely by fellowship-trained pediatric emergency medicine physicians. The trauma center is Level 3.
Train With Recognized Leaders
If you’re looking for a rewarding program built on academic excellence and family-centered care, Nemours offers outstanding medical, surgical, pharmacy, nursing, therapy and psychology programs. Train with faculty who are respected leaders in their fields, a patient care model that stands apart and access to groundbreaking research.
- Leadership
- Faculty
Meet Our Clinical Leadership
Lournaris Torres-Santiago, MD
Program Director, Endocrinology Fellowship Program;
Courtesy Associate Professor, Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Endocrinologist, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Meet Our Program Faculty
Nelly Mauras, MD
Courtesy Professor, Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Chief, Pediatric Endocrinology, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Matthew R. Benson, MD
Courtesy Assistant Professor, Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Endocrinologist, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Larry A. Fox, MD
Courtesy Assistant Professor, Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Endocrinologist, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Reham Hasan, MD
Courtesy Assistant Professor, Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Endocrinologist, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Monica M. Mortensen, DO
Courtesy Assistant Professor, Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Endocrinologist, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Learn More About Dr. Mortensen
Ranjit Shenoy, MD
Courtesy Assistant Professor, Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Endocrinologist, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Lydia Snyder, MD
Courtesy Assistant Professor, Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Endocrinologist, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville
Apply Today
Application Requirements
Submission Deadline: TBD
1. Submit application electronically using ERAS
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Medical school transcript
4. USMLE and/or COMLEX-USA scores (all 3 levels)
5. Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from current program director
Qualifications
Candidates must be board certified or board eligible for the American Board of Pediatrics. Trainees must hold, before the start date of training, either a valid unrestricted Florida medical license or be registered with the Florida Board of Medicine for a training license.
Interviews
Division faculty review all completed applications and supporting documentation. Competitive candidates are invited for an interview, at which time faculty members and subspecialty fellows evaluate candidates. Each interviewer fills out an evaluation form, which is scored based on the following areas:
- Academic credentials
- Performance of USMLE or COMLEX-USA
- Letters of recommendation
- Professionalism
- Interpersonal skills and
- Consistency of career plans to the goals of our program
Interviews will be scheduled in August, September, October and November. The training program is participating in the pediatric endocrinology match.
Questions About Applying?
Robin Smith
Program Coordinator
(904) 697-2582
Robin.Smith@nemours.org