Endocrinology Fellowship Program - Clinical Opportunities
Learn about the clinical training opportunities that are part of the Friedman Fellowship in Endocrinology at Tufts Medical Center in downtown Boston, MA.

Clinical opportunities

A female fellow helping a patient

The clinical program, composed of outpatient and inpatient experience, provides opportunities for the fellows to develop clinical competence in the field of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. Clinical experience includes opportunities to evaluate, diagnose and manage adult patients in the outpatient and inpatient settings, representing the full spectrum of endocrine and metabolic diseases and variable acuity.

The fellows assume responsibility for patients and follow them throughout the training period in both outpatient and inpatient settings. They observe the evolution and natural history of these disorders and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. To accomplish these goals, the program devotes more than 70% of the clinical training to outpatient care settings.

Subspecialty endocrine clinics

The subspecialty endocrine clinics are supervised by attending physicians who have an interest and expertise in the field. This arrangement provides a unique educational experience for the fellows, differentiating our program from other fellowship programs. For a brief description of the Subspecialty Clinics, please view our outpatient endocrinology clinics.

Inpatient endocrinology consultation service

Training in the inpatient setting broadens the exposure to endocrine disorders and enriches the educational experience. The Consultation Service is composed of the General Endocrinology Consultation Service (covered by the fellows and an endocrinology Attending) and the Glycemic Consultation Service. The latter provides consultative and continuing management care for many inpatients with diabetes mellitus and is covered by advanced practice practitioners (e.g., NP) during the week.

Procedures

Fellows obtain a comprehensive understanding of indications, contraindications, limitations, techniques, complications and interpretations of procedures that are required for diagnosis and management of patients with endocrine disorders. For the thyroid FNA, a minimum of 10 aspirations must be done before a trainee can be proficient. During the program, fellows rotate in the Thyroid US and FNA Clinic and perform 30-40 thyroid FNAs, most of them during the first year.

Thyroid US is also taught during the Training Program.