Program Overview

Program Structure

The BIDMC/Joslin combined endocrinology fellowship is a two-year program, with an option for a third year of dedicated research training supported by an NIH T32 training grant for fellows with a strong interest in academic medicine and physician-scientist careers.

 

First Year: The first year is devoted to fulfilling ABIM and ACGME clinical training requirements, with fellows primarily responsible for inpatient consult services rotating in two-week blocks across general endocrinology, inpatient diabetes, and an independent study block that incorporates subspecialty clinic exposure and scholarly pursuits. Throughout the year, each fellow maintains a weekly Endocrine Continuity Clinic at BIDMC and a Diabetes Continuity Clinic at Joslin Diabetes Center.

 

Second Year: The second year shifts toward outpatient clinical training and scholarly development. Inpatient responsibilities are reduced to four weeks total, enabling fellows to focus on continuity clinics at both BIDMC and Joslin, and to build a customized subspecialty clinic schedule tailored to their individual interests and career goals. Fellows also pursue dedicated scholarly projects in research, quality improvement, or medical education, each described in further detail below.

 

Clinical Training

Outpatient Experience 

 

Fellows rotate through a diverse array of subspecialty clinics, including: 

  • General Endocrinology and Diabetes Continuity Clinics

  • Thyroid Center

  • Pituitary Clinic

  • Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Center

  • Women’s Health  and PCOS Center

  • Men’s Health Endocrinology

  • Diabetes in Pregnancy

  • Hypoglycemia Clinic

  • Lipid Clinic

  • Well Powered Weight Loss and Wellness Program

  • Gender Affirming Services

  • Young Adult Diabetes Clinic

  • Pediatric Endocrinology

  • Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility Clinic

Inpatient Experience 

Inpatient training spans three core services: 

  • General Endocrinology Consult Service, responsible for comprehensive inpatient endocrine care for nondiabetic patients at BIDMC

  • Diabetes Consult Service, through which fellows manage a focused panel of inpatient diabetes cases

  • Diabetes in Pregnancy Service, dedicated to the care of pregnant women with pre-existing or gestational diabetes.

Quality Improvement

Our program is firmly committed to training fellows to practice excellent medicine, and also to continuously improve it. Quality Improvement (QI) and Patient Safety (PS) education is intrinsic to  fellowship training.  Fellows participate in QI/PS didactics and workshops and present at Morbidity and Mortality Conferences.  Second year fellows serve on our division wide Patient Safety Committee and also pursue QI projects that historically have resulted in peer-reviewed publications. BIDMC also offers a dedicated Clinical Operations and Quality Improvement Program for fellows who wish to develop deeper expertise in this area.  This track is applied to during the first year and occurs during the second year.   

Scholarly Tracks

Research Track: Fellows with a strong interest in academic medicine may apply for the three-year Research Track by December of their first year. This track is designed to develop physician-scientists into independent research investigators. Fellows identify a research laboratory and principal investigator during their first year; clinical training remains unchanged in year one. In years two and three, the majority of time is dedicated to mentored research, while maintaining a weekly continuity clinic. 

 

Clinician Educator Track (CET): For fellows passionate about medical education, BIDMC offers a unique opportunity through the Department of Medicine Clinical Educator Track for Fellows.  This track is applied to during the first year and occurs during the second year of fellowship.  CET fellows attend didactics and workshops as well as receive guidance to pursue medical education research projects. Many of our fellows have pursued this pathway and have achieved notable scholarly contributions in medical education, positioning them for academic careers with a strong teaching mission. 

 

Weekly Conferences and Educational Activities

Fellows participate in a robust schedule of conferences and didactic experiences, including 

  • Attending Teaching Sessions (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings)

  • Joslin Clinical Diabetes Grand Rounds

  • BIDMC Clinical Case Conferences

  • Journal Club, Multidisciplinary Conferences (Bone, Neuroendocrine, Thyroid, and Adrenal)

  • Morbidity and Mortality Conference

  • Endocrinology Grand Rounds

  • Dedicated Fellows Didactic Sessions.

Leadership and Alumni

The BIDMC/Joslin Fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism has trained physicians who have gone on to distinguished careers at academic medical centers, research institutes, universities, and industry around the world. Program leadership is deeply committed to developing the next generation of outstanding clinical endocrinologists and physician-scientists. Learn more about fellowship leadership, current fellows and alumni.  

 

If you would like to learn more about the program directly from our faculty and fellows? Fellowship Video Tour here.