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Clinical Endocrinology Fellowship

Dr. Varman Samuel cares for a patient at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven.

During the first year of the two-year clinical fellowship, experience is identical to our three-year traditional fellowship. During year two, clinical experience is extended with substantial opportunities for elective rotations. A scholarly project is also expected to be completed during the second year.

Clinical Training

Clinical training within this track of the endocrine fellowship extends over approximately 22 months, including both inpatient (endocrine consult service) and outpatient (endocrine clinics) experiences.

As a fellow, you are provided the opportunity to achieve the knowledge base, clinical and interpersonal skills, professional attitudes, and practical experience required of an outstanding endocrinologist. Our training program emphasizes scholarship, professionalism, self-instruction, development of critical analysis of clinical problems, and the ability to make appropriate diagnostic and treatment decisions.

By the end of the training program, you will have developed expertise in the evaluation and management of diabetes and endocrine disorders, including:

  • Type 1 and 2 diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Lipid disorders
  • Osteoporosis
  • Calcium disorders including hyperparathyroidism, hypoparathyroidism, and vitamin D deficiency
  • Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism
  • Thyroid nodules and cancer
  • Pituitary tumors and diseases including hypopituitarism, acromegaly, Cushing disease, and prolactinomas
  • Adrenal tumors and diseases including hyperaldosteronism, pheochromocytoma, Addison disease, and Cushing syndrome
  • Reproductive disorders
  • Carcinoid and other neuroendocrine tumors

The Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism fellowship program is based at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). YNHH is a 1,541-bed tertiary care facility over two sites in New Haven, the York Street Campus and the Saint Raphael Campus, and includes Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, and Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital.

All sub-specialty services and excellent ancillary support are available at YNHH, where much of the clinical training occurs. A majority of your inpatient consultative experience and outpatient training occurs at YNHH.

You will also train at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in nearby West Haven, Conn. At the VA, you will perform inpatient consultations and participate in continuity clinics. During the first two years of the fellowship, you will care for patients in several outpatient clinics per week at YNHH and Yale School of Medicine.

These clinics sub-specialize with focuses on:

  • Diabetes and obesity
  • Thyroid disease
  • Adrenal disorders
  • Pituitary disease
  • Calcium disorders, osteoporosis, metabolic bone diseases
  • Reproductive endocrinology
  • Pediatric diabetes and endocrinology

Consultative rounds with endocrinology faculty provide you with clinical exposure to a wide variety of acute and chronic endocrine problems and the opportunity to participate actively in diagnosing and managing patients with endocrine disease. When you enter the second half of your first training year, there is a gradual increase in independent patient care activity.

Inpatient: Yale Endocrine Consult Service

During your time on the inpatient endocrine consult service, you will perform all consults on endocrine cases at Yale New Haven Hospital and affiliated facilities under the guidance and support of one of our endocrine faculty members, serving as the attending physician.

Outpatient: Clinic Rotations

The fellow on the Clinics 1 rotation attends sub-specialty endocrine clinics at various locations, including:

  • Yale Diabetes Center
  • Endocrine Neoplasia Center (including thyroid ultrasound)
  • Yale Bone Center
  • General Endocrinology (continuity clinic at VA Connecticut Health Care System)

The fellow on the Clinics 2 rotation primarily covers the inpatient consults at the VA Connecticut Health Care System, with an additional focus on outpatient endocrinology, including the following elective rotations:

  • Community-based Endocrine Practice
  • Bone Densitometry
  • Endocrine Surgery
  • Pituitary Surgery
  • YNHH Gamma Knife Center
  • Thyroid Cytology
  • Diabetes in Pregnancy/Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinics
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Clinics
  • Retina Clinic
  • Insulin Pump and CGM Training
  • Pediatric General Endocrine Clinic
  • Pediatric Diabetes Clinic
  • Pediatric Bone Clinic
  • Childhood Obesity/Type 2 Diabetes Clinic

The fellows’ continuity clinic is an active general endocrine specialty practice at the VA. You will serve as the primary endocrinologist for patients and gain experience managing endocrine diseases over time in a given patient. The case mix includes common endocrine diseases as well as more complicated conditions. Endocrine faculty provide fellows with teaching and guidance in clinical science, practical disease management issues, and how to effectively function within an integrated healthcare network. The clinic works closely with the primary care providers within the VA.

How Do I Apply?

Application to Yale’s two-year clinical endocrinology fellowship is done exclusively through ERAS. Submit the following materials through ERAS when the application cycle opens.

  • Completed ERAS application
  • CV
  • Personal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation