Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship
The UC San Diego Pediatric Endocrinology Clinical Fellowship Program at Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego (RCHSD) is a three-year program designed to educate and prepare future pediatric endocrinologists. The fellowship program provides trainees with broad clinical exposure to all aspects of pediatric endocrinology and a rich research environment to design and develop research projects. The aim is to allow fellows to develop the necessary skills to pursue and excel in either a clinical or academic career.
The fellowship program includes clinical and research training in a supportive and multi-faceted learning environment, following ABP and ACGME guidelines. There are many compelling aspects of our program that ensure that our graduates are well prepared to begin the next stages of their careers:
Wide patient catchment:
We capture a large and diverse patient population due to our unique location and the large area of Southern California that we serve. The majority of clinical activities for the UC San Diego Department of Pediatrics take place at RCHSD, which serves as the major pediatric referral center for San Diego County, Imperial County, and Southern Riverside County. This wide net and our proximity to the Mexican border provides trainees with a large range of first-hand experience in the treatment of both common and rare pediatric diseases.
Breadth of clinical experiences:
We provide trainees with a sound foundation in the fundamentals of pediatric endocrinology as well as opportunities for involvement in rapidly evolving new directions. These exciting multidisciplinary clinics encompass specialty patient care for those with Turner's syndrome, gender dysphoria, and differences in sex development. Regionally, we host a thyroid tumor board to examine thyroid neoplasia and nationally, we participate in the Type 1 diabetes quality improvement collaboration, an organization committed to improving patient outcomes by reducing barriers and increasing access to technology.
Diverse and supportive faculty:
Our doctors represent a wide range of backgrounds with clinicians from around the world. Our diversity is more than where we are from, however, and is rooted in our set of unique perspectives. Together, we foster a nurturing learning environment, supporting colleagues and trainees alike both academically and personally.
One on one mentoring:
Our program focuses on education and mentoring in a variety of settings including extensive one-on-one teaching in the outpatient and inpatient clinics. These uniquely personal experiences allow our trainees to learn on the job from their patients with the help of their mentors.
Innovative endocrine research:
Our investigators within the pediatric diabetes research center examine myriad topics, including pioneering research into regenerative and cell-based therapies for type 1 diabetes, computational and molecular genetics for assessing diabetes risk, biomarker development and investigations of causes of cell death in those with type 1 diabetes, and links between maternal metabolism and obesity and diabetes in their children.
Local and regional networking:
We host weekly case conferences, which are widely attended by local and regional experts. These events allow trainees to receive feedback from experienced endocrinology physicians, providing critical outside perspective in medical problem solving. Unlike traditional academic meetings, these informal gatherings offer a nurturing, collegial environment for learning.