Advanced Training in Endocrinology
The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Joslin Diabetes Center Fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism has a particular interest in developing the careers of physicians who are interested in academic medicine and who, in addition to acquiring excellent clinical skills, are also enthusiastic about teaching and research.
The endocrinology program is staffed by clinicians and researchers from both BIDMC and Joslin Diabetes Center. In addition to a long tradition of clinical excellence, the program has substantial strength in research, particularly in the areas of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and obesity. This includes bench-based research and clinical research. The program also has a close affiliation with a number of Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals.
The endocrinology fellowship offers two distinct tracks. During year one, the three fellows are indistinguishable from one another.
- One fellow will follow the three-year Research Track. This Research Track is only available to US citizens and permanent residents due to funding restrictions.
- Two fellows will follow the two-year Clinical Track, which is open to all applicants.
General Program Structure
The first year for all fellows is devoted to fulfilling the ABIM and ACGME training requirements. This will include covering the inpatient services along with outpatient clinical experiences. Each fellow will have their own weekly Endocrine Continuity Clinic at BIDMC and a Diabetes Continuity Clinic at Joslin Diabetes Center.
Want to learn more about the program directly from our faculty and fellows? Watch our Fellowship Video Tour here.
Research Track
The Research Track consists of one clinical year involving Inpatient and Outpatient rotations, followed by diverse second and third years with continuity clinics, a broad array of lectures and conferences, a small Quality Improvement project, and a major research experience in one of the laboratories at BIDMC, Joslin or a related lab in the area. The research opportunities are numerous and varied, as they reflect the research interests of the Endocrine Division faculty.
Research Opportunities at BIDMC
- Type 2 diabetes pathophysiology
- Islet biology and mechanisms of beta cell destruction
- Stress response and aging
- Diabetes complications
- Microbiome and type 1 diabetes
Additional Research Training Resources
- Models of Disease Boot Camp
Clinical Track
The Clinical Track consists of two clinical years with no traditional research project. In lieu of a research project, the fellow will do one to two large Quality Improvement projects, of their choosing. The second year of the track will be customized to the interests of the fellow but will include: Advanced diabetes training, including pump management and CGMS; Advanced thyroid ultrasonography and biopsy; and Additional subspecialty clinics (e.g. lipid/repro/bone). The Clinical Track Fellow’s second year will be divided 50/50 between the BIDMC and the Joslin Diabetes Center.
Outpatient Experience
- General Endocrinology Continuity Clinic
- Diabetes Continuity Clinic
- Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Center
- Thyroid Center
- Reproductive Endocrinology Clinic
- Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic
- PCOS Center
- Wellpowered Weight Loss and Wellness Program
- Gender Affirming Services
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pituitary Clinic
- Lipid Clinic
- DO-IT
- WHY WAIT
Inpatient Experience
- General Endocrinology Consult Service
- Responsible for providing inpatient endocrine care at BIDMC
- Diabetes in Pregnancy Service
- Treat and follow pregnant women with pre-existing or gestational diabetes
- Diabetes Consult Service
- Responsible for providing inpatient diabetes care at BIDMC (The fellow on the diabetes consult service follows six patients)
Clinician Educator Track
If you have an interest in teaching others and would like it to be a part of your career, BIDMC offers a unique opportunity through the Department of Medicine Clinical Educator Track for Fellows. Learn more.
Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Experience
How do I practice medicine safely? How do I deliver the best possible care to my patients? How do I make things better around me? These are central questions for every physician and our program firmly believes that our responsibility is not only to prepare our fellows to practice good medicine, but also to teach them how to improve it. Quality Improvement (QI) and safety training is an integral part of the fellowship education. Research Track fellows will do 1 small QI project during their second and third years. The Clinical Track fellow will do 1-2 larger QI projects during the second year. BIDMC is a hospital where the culture values and nurtures high quality care and the desire to do better. It permeates practice for every discipline from the first day of orientation until graduation.
Weekly Conferences and Educational Experiences
- Attending Teaching Sessions (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday mornings)
- Joslin Clinical Diabetes Grand Rounds
- BIDMC Clinical Case Conference/Journal Club/Multidisciplinary (Bone, Neuroendocrine, Thyroid, Adrenal)/Morbidity and Mortality
- Endocrine Grand Rounds
- Fellows Didactic Sessions
