The objectives of this rotation are to give the students a broad experience in clinical pediatric endocrinology and diabetes and to teach them the requisite skills of history taking and physical examination pertaining to this specialty.

Students will participate in the care of patients seen in the two endocrine clinics and two diabetes clinics held each week. In addition to the ambulatory care of children with diabetes mellitus, the student will gain experience in a broad spectrum of endocrine problems, which include growth disorders, thyroid problems, gonadal and adrenal disease. Approximately 40 to 50 ambulatory endocrine patients and 20 to 30 diabetic patients are seen each week. A preclinic chart review is held once weekly with the staff of the Division of Endocrinology. Students will be responsible for assisting in the diagnostic and therapeutic care of all patients admitted by the Endocrine staff in addition to other hospitalized children for whom an endocrine consultation is requested. They will be provided with a bibliography of pertinent references and be assigned additional literature references, depending on the clinical problem. Students will attend clinical conferences and endocrine journal club, which are held weekly.

Upon completion of this rotation, students should have a thorough understanding of the relationship between pathophysiologic mechanisms and the endocrine disorders, which are commonly seen in childhood. These include hypopituitarism, thyroid dysfunction, ambiguous genitalia, early and late sexual maturation, adrenal and gonadal disorders. They also should understand the pathophysiology of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and its complications as well as treatment of the disease.

Prerequisites: MS4 or MS3 who has successfully completed PED 700

Modules: A-K  Blocks: 1-4

Number of students: 2

Course Instructors: Kathleen Bethin, MD, PhD; John G. Buchlis, MD; Lucy D. Mastrandrea MD, PhD

Course Coordinator: Sue Quirk