Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center Program

Mission Statement

The program is dedicated to advancing excellence in patient care, research, and education, specifically by training endocrinologists capable of serving diverse and underserved populations without bias. This commitment to equity and diversity is integral to the program's ethos.

Program Goals and Objectives

The Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Fellowship Program aims to provide advanced training and experience in endocrinology. Designed for professionals anticipating careers in clinical practice, clinician-educators, or pursuing clinical research, the program focuses on equipping trainees with the comprehensive knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experience needed to excel as consultants in this specialty. Through a robust educational experience, fellows will develop into proficient clinicians, educators, and researchers, well-prepared to handle complex medical cases.

Recruitment and Application Process

Applicants to the program are required to have completed an ACGME-accredited program in Internal Medicine. Starting from summer 2023, the fellowship program will utilize the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). The program accepts one fellow each year, cumulatively admitting two fellows over the duration of the training.

Diversity Statement

The program's selection committee comprises a diverse range of faculty from various racial and ethnic backgrounds. The program prioritizes inclusion and ensures that fellows reflect the diversity of the patient community served, irrespective of race, country of origin, sexual orientation, or identification.

Curriculum and Didactics

The fellowship curriculum is robustly focused on clinical endocrinology, aiming to develop fellows' expertise in managing various endocrine disorders. Fellows will take charge of the inpatient endocrine consult service, managing patient cases under careful supervision by faculty attending endocrinologists. Continuity clinics will provide fellows an experience akin to running their private practice, fostering independence and practical learning.

Additional training includes in-depth education on diabetes technology, personalized hands-on instruction reviewing thyroid ultrasound and fine-needle biopsy techniques in the interventional radiology setting, rotations in pediatric endocrinology, and maternal-fetal medicine. The program includes extensive didactic components, featuring endocrine conferences, journal clubs, and multidisciplinary conferences, incorporating different specialties such as radiology, neuroradiology, nuclear medicine, and diabetes education.

Fellows will also benefit from dedicated research time, with opportunities to engage in regional and national endocrine conferences for presenting research findings.

Clinical Rotations and Training Sites

The fellowship incorporates various clinical experiences designed to expose fellows to the breadth of endocrinology practice. The training directly tackles the needs prevalent in the South Bronx, notably a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and obesity, providing a wealth of experience in managing complex diabetes cases amid socioeconomic challenges.

Benefits and Compensation

The fellowship offers competitive salaries across levels of training, starting from $78,681.58 for PGY-1, escalating to $97,500.61 for PGY-7. Additional benefits include a substantial meal allowance, holiday pay, wellness days, malpractice insurance coverage, health plans offering comprehensive benefits, and educational reimbursements. Fellows also have access to dental, optical, and life insurance, among other various perks.

Research and Teaching Opportunities

Fellows are encouraged to engage in research projects throughout their training. Research endeavors are viewed as vital to the learning process, and fellows will have the opportunity to be involved in scientific publications and quality improvement projects. Presenting research at conferences is promoted and supported, further enriching the fellowship experience.

Visa Support

The program provides visa sponsorship to qualified international medical graduates. Typically, J-1 and H-1B visa types are available, which supports international fellows in their pursuit of training in the United States.

Competitiveness and Requirements

While the fellowship is competitive, it is generally regarded as DO and IMG friendly. To maintain fair consideration, applicants must adhere to specific prerequisites, such as the successful completion of USMLE Step exams and meeting maximum limits on failed attempts. The program assesses candidates based on their complete applications, ensuring a holistic evaluation process that spans beyond examination scores.

Conclusion

This fellowship program plays a vital role in preparing future leaders in endocrinology, offering a diverse and comprehensive educational experience that aligns with the needs of both clinicians and the communities they will serve.