Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

Endocrinology Fellowship Program

Mission

The mission of the subspecialty Training Program in Endocrinology in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Tufts Medical Center is to provide fellows with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experience required for all of competencies needed to function successfully as an independent consultant in endocrinology. The Program creates and nurtures a belonging environment that allows fellows to receive training and plan and develop their career in alignment with established and emerging approaches, including digital care, with emphasis on thoughtfulness, forward thinking and imagination towards high-quality, high-value and patient-centered care that celebrates individuality.  This Program is designed to fulfill the needs of those fellows whose future focus will be clinical practice, those who wish to become clinician-educators, and those who wish to pursue careers in clinical and/or basic endocrine research including careers in industry. 

Number of Fellows

To ensure close interaction among the fellows and faculty and to enhance the educational experience, the Program has a total of 4 fellows each year. There are two first-year fellows and two second-year fellows. Occasionally, there may be a follow who has elected an educational pathway that includes additional years of training in research (third or fourth year).

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Residency and Fellowship Training at Tufts Medical Center

Our faculty is dedicated to ensuring that the fellows can walk away from this training with the knowledge, skills, attitude and experience to enter the field of endocrinology and metabolism. In this program, fellows will learn how to:

Patient Care

  • Provide appropriate and effective care related to endocrine disease in a compassionate fashion.
  • Gather accurate, essential information from all sources, including interviews, physical examination, digital data, electronic medical records, and diagnostic/therapeutic procedures.
  • Make informed recommendations about preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic options that are based on clinical judgment, scientific evidence, and patient preference.
  • Develop and implement effective patient-centered management plans.
  • Perform competently the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures considered essential to the practice of endocrinology.

Medical Knowledge

  • Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical and social sciences as it relates to endocrine disease and apply this knowledge to patient care and the education of others.
  • Apply an open-minded, analytical approach to evaluate scientific evidence and acquire new knowledge.
  • Develop knowledge of the basic and clinical sciences that underlie the field of endocrinology.
  • Accumulate a critical mass of fundamental information and practical approaches for the prevention, diagnosis and management of endocrine disorders.
  • Acquire the clinical skills that are necessary for a consultant in the field.
  • Acquire the procedural and technical skills that are necessary for a consultant in the field.
  • Couple knowledge with critical thinking towards clinical problem solving and clinical decision-making.

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

  • Use scientific methods to investigate, evaluate and improve patient care practices.
  • Evaluate their practice by identifying areas for improvement and implement strategies to enhance knowledge, skills, attitudes and processes of care.
  • Develop and maintain a willingness to learn from errors and improve the system or processes of care.
  • Use information technology or other available methodologies to access and manage information, support patient care decisions and enhance both patient and physician education.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

  • Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families, and other members of health care teams.
  • Provide effective consultation to other physicians and health care professionals.
  • Use effective listening, questioning and narrative skills to communicate.
  • Maintain succinct but comprehensive medical records, completed in a timely fashion.
  • Develop the speaking skills and confidence required to present clinical or scientific information to audiences of patients and health care professionals.

Professionalism

  • Demonstrate behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, an understanding and sensitivity to diversity and a responsible attitude toward their patients, their profession and society.
  • Demonstrate respect, compassion, integrity, and altruism in relationships with patients, families and colleagues.
  • Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to the gender, age, culture, religion, sexual preference, socioeconomic status, beliefs, behaviors and disabilities of patients and professional colleagues.
  • Show commitment in carrying out professional responsibilities.
  • Show adherence to ethical principles.
  • Demonstrate confidentiality.
  • Avoid conflict of interest.

Systems-Based Practice

  • Demonstrate both an understanding of the context and systems in which health care is provided, and the ability to apply this knowledge to improve and optimize health care.
  • Understand, access, and utilize the resources, providers, and systems necessary to provide optimal care.
  • Apply evidence-based, cost-conscious strategies to prevention, diagnosis, and disease management.
  • Collaborate with other members of the health care team to assist patients in dealing effectively with complex systems and to improve systematic processes of care.

Research

  • Meaningfully participate in a research project that leads to a peer-reviewed publication.
  • Acquire skills in design and performance of hypothesis-driven endocrine research.
  • Show adherence to ethical principles of confidentiality, conflict of interest and informed consent.