Curriculum and Rotations
Our mission is to create a training environment where graduates will have the skills and knowledge to succeed in a variety of practice settings. Learn about our curriculum and rotation schedule:
The major focus of our Fellowship Training Program is on outpatient and inpatient consultations and management of diseases of Endocrinology from all medical and surgical specialties. While our training is focused on developing clinical practitioners, we also require a research experience and designate 3 months per year devoted to the fellow's research and QI & Patient Safety projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor.
First year fellows spend 8 months at the University of Kansas Medical Center and 4 months at the Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The fellow's ambulatory continuity clinic takes place weekly on Tuesday afternoons. Monthly rotations include:
- KU Inpatient Consults (4 months)
- KU Endocrine Ambulatory Clinic (2 months)
- KU Lipid Clinic and Bone Density Training (1 month)
- KCVA Ambulatory Clinic and Consults (2 months)
- Designed Research Rotation (2 months at KCVA, 1 month at KU)
Sample of Year 1 Rotation Schedule:
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KU Clinic |
KU Consults |
KCVA Consults |
KU Research |
KU Consults |
KCVA |
KU Consults |
KU Lipid/Bone |
KCVA Consults |
KU Consults |
KU Clinic |
KCVA Research |
Second year fellows spend 8 months at the University of Kansas Medical Center and 4 months at the Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The fellow's ambulatory continuity clinic takes place weekly on Tuesday afternoons. Monthly rotations include:
- KU Inpatient Consults (4 months)
- KU Endocrine Ambulatory Clinic (1 month)
- Pediatric Endocrine Clinic/Reproductive Endocrine Clinic (1 month)
- KCVA Ambulatory Clinic and Consults (2 months)
- Designated Research Rotation (2 months at KCVA, 1 month at KU)
- Elective (1 month)
Sample of Year 2 Rotation Schedule:
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCVA Research |
KU Peds/Rep Endo |
KU Consults |
KCVA Consults |
KU Clinics |
KU Consults |
KCVA Research |
KU Consults |
KU Elective |
KCVA Consults |
KU Consults |
KU Research |
Our program utilizes a 24-month rolling didactics curriculum. Each month focuses on one core topic, and weekly core lectures and case conferences are centered around that topic. Over the course of the 2-year fellowship, these conferences will encompass the complete breadth of endocrine education. Below is a sample of monthly core topics along with weekly conference topics.
Pituitary Tumors
- Prolactinoma
- Nonfunctioning adenoma and other pituitary tumors
- Acromegaly
Hyperthyroidism
- Graves' Disease and ophthalmopathy
- Autonomously functioning nodular disease
- Unusual causes of hyperthyroidism
Thyroid Cancer
- Approach to the thyroid nodule
- Treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer
- Medullary thyroid cancer
Secondary Hypertension
- Diagnosis and management of renal vascular hypertension
- Mineralocorticoid Excess Syndromes
- Pheochromocytoma
Water Regulation
- Diabetes Insipidus evaluation and management
- Hyponatremia and SIADH
- Orthostatic Hypotension and Orthostatic Intolerance
Endcrine Changes in Critically Ill Patients
- Pituitary-adrenal axis in acute and prolonged illness
- Changes in LH-gondal, somatotrophic and lactotropic axis in acute and prolonged illness
- Lp(a) Unmet need risk factor for CVD
Cushing's Syndrome
- Nonthyroidal Illness Syndrome
- Clinical presentation and evaluation of Cushing's Syndrome
- Cushing's Syndrome medical and surgical intervention
- Adrenal Cancer
Mechanism of Endocrine Signaling
- Hormonal signaling via Tyrosine Kinase receptors and Cytokine Receptors
- Hormone signaling via G protein coupled receptor and cyclic AMP signaling pathways
- Second messenger signaling pathways phospholipids and calcium, MAP kinase and growth factor signaling pathways
Congential Adrenal Hyperplasia
- Disorders of 21-hydroxylase
- Disorders of 11 beta hydroxylase and 3 beta hydroxylase
- Adrenoleukodystrophy
Endocrine Tumor Syndromes
- MEN Syndrome
- Gastrointestinal Hormone and Tumor Syndrome
- Carcinoid Syndrome
Hypoglycemia
- Hypoglycemia evaluation
- Insulinoma
- Reactive hypoglycemia
Obesity
- Evaluation of the obese patient
- Medical therapy of obesity
- Bariatric surgery
Adrenal Insufficiency
- Adrenal insufficiency presentation and evaluation
- AI in acute illness
- Iatrogenic AI and when to stop steroids
Osteoporosis
- Osteoporosis pathogenesis and evaluation
- Osteoporosis Management strategies
- Osteoporosis in men and premenopausal women
Female Reproductive Disorders
- Evaluation of secondary amenorhea
- Delayed puberty
- Infertility evaluation and basic treatment strategies
Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy
- Hyperthyroid disease in pregnancy
- Post-partum thyroid disease
- Hypothyroidism disease in pregnancy
Parathyroid Disorders
- HPT diagnosis and treatment
- HPT in renal disease
- Hypocalcemia/hypoparathyroidism
Male Reproductive Disorders
- Male infertility diagnosis and treatment
- Hypogonadism diagnosis and treatment
- Exogenous athletic enchanging drugs/precocious puberty
Immunology, Genetics and Endocrinology
- Immunologic mechanisms causing Autoimmune Endocrine diseases
- Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndromes
- Genetic testing in Endocrine practice
Hormonal Resistance Syndrome
- Resistance to thyroid hormone
- Glucocorticoid Resistance
- Pseudohypoparathyroidism
Growth and Maturation
- Somatic growth and maturation
- Growth hormone deficiency in children
- Growth hormone deficiency in adults
Diabetes Mellitus
- SGLT2 Inhibitors
- Diagnosing diabetic neuropathy
- Hypoglycemic Unawareness
- Approach to starting insulin
- Fatty Liver Disease