Clinical Training and Research

First year

Inpatient diabetes consults service (three months per year): The inpatient diabetes consult service provides assistance with the management of complicated cases of diabetes in patients admitted to the hospital. During this rotation, fellows will also participate in one specialty outpatient clinic (diabetes, thyroid, weight management, or bone) at BMC along with their own continuity clinic every week.

Inpatient endocrine consult service (three months per year): During the inpatient endocrine consult service, fellows are involved in the evaluation and management of a variety of endocrine problems, during this rotation fellows also participate in two specialty outpatient clinics (diabetes, thyroid, weight management, or bone) at BMC along with their own continuity clinic every week.

Research rotation (three months per year): During the first-year BMC research rotation, fellows start planning and working on research projects in areas of interest. Fellows will also participate in three specialty clinics (diabetes, thyroid, weight management, or bone) at BMC along with their own continuity clinic every week.

VA clinic rotation (three months per year): During the VA clinic rotation, fellows will attend clinics at the Boston Veterans Administration hospital from Monday to Thursday, working with multiple faculty members taking care of the veteran population the hospital serves. The VA rotation includes substantial exposure to diabetes technology and includes the opportunity to participate in e-consults.  Fellows will continue to attend their own Friday continuity clinic at BMC once a week.

Second year

During the second year, as fellows spend more time on their research projects, they will continue their clinic training through the following specialty clinics:

Adrenal clinic, including the Adrenal multi-disciplinary clinic with endocrine surgery.

Thyroid nodule biopsy clinic

Thyroid multi-disciplinary clinic with endocrine surgery

Pituitary clinic

Transgender medicine clinic

Pediatric endocrinology clinic

Male reproductive endocrinology and fertility clinic

Female reproductive endocrinology and fertility clinic

Diabetes in pregnancy clinic

VA Cardiovascular Prevention clinic

Continuity Clinic

Each fellow is responsible for a panel of patients in the endocrine clinic seen during the Friday afternoon fellows’ continuity clinic. Patients with all types of endocrine disorders are assessed in this clinic. During these visits, fellows perform diagnostic thyroid ultrasounds for their patients. Clinical diabetes educators and endocrine nurses are also available to provide additional education and support for patients.

Weekend Calls

Following the first two months of the year (when the more experienced second year fellows are on call over the weekends), the first-year fellows are responsible for a majority of the weekend/holiday calls during the year (approximately one in four or one in five weekends). Typical weekend coverage will include seeing new or existing patients on the inpatient consult services (diabetes and endocrine) and attending to any calls from the outpatient clinic or hospital. Overnight call is taken from home.

Research

Endocrine fellows are expected to identify one or more areas of research interest. This process begins during the first year and continues throughout the duration of training. Fellows identify mentors based on their areas of expertise either from within or outside the section of Endocrinology at Boston Medical Center or at the VA hospital. In addition, fellows participate in Quality Improvement projects during their training. See section on Recent Highlights to review some of the recent research presentations and publications by fellows.

Fellows interested in a research career have the option of pursuing additional years of training. Please see section on Career Development for further details.