University of Maryland Program

Outstanding clinical care training and exposure to a comprehensive experience are the hallmarks of the University of Maryland fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. This program offers access to multiple training sites, exceptional faculty, and serves as a local and regional referral program, ensuring that fellows are exposed to a broad spectrum of endocrinology-related cases and situations. The program is based at three distinct hospital and outpatient settings: the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), UMMC Midtown, which houses the University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology (UMCDE), and the Baltimore VA Medical Center (VAMC).

Fellows in this training program gain experience in diagnosing and managing diverse cases of classic endocrine pathologies. The structure includes significant inpatient exposure and continuity clinics at both the Baltimore VAMC and UMCDE, offering care to varied patient populations. The faculty consists of highly experienced clinician educators dedicated to mentoring and training.

A key component of the schedule includes participation in endocrine procedures, such as ultrasound-guided thyroid biopsies and bone densitometry interpretation. The program's robust diabetes technology segment allows hands-on experience with insulin pump management, continuous glucose monitor placement, and interpretation.

In addition to clinical practice, the program deeply values education. There is a formal didactic component, accompanied by one-on-one teaching sessions with faculty members. This mentorship approach aims to train future medical educators, thereby contributing to the fellows' development as well-rounded professionals. There is ample opportunity for fellows interested in academic careers to engage in clinical or basic science research, with the expectation of at least two publications before graduation.

The training program also places significant emphasis on community engagement, particularly in light of the program's location in West Baltimore. Totaling two years, the fellowship includes a dedicated curriculum highlighting social determinants of health and health equity issues, further enriching the fellows' educational journey and fostering camaraderie among students, faculty, and staff.

Curriculum Overview

The program leverages the long-standing tradition of excellence in diabetes and endocrine patient care within the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition. The curriculum is designed to prepare fellows to be excellent consultants in general endocrinology and diabetes, as well as to promote lifelong learning and academic careers.

Training Sites

1. **University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC)**: A tertiary care facility with over 38,000 inpatient admissions and 400,000 outpatient visits annually, serving as a primary care and major referral center for local and regional patient needs.

2. **Baltimore VA Medical Center (BVAMC)**: Offers over 8,000 inpatient admissions and 500,000 outpatient visits yearly, allowing fellows to handle a broader spectrum of endocrine diseases.

3. **University of Maryland Midtown**: A community teaching hospital facilitating outpatient diabetes and endocrine services that handle over 120,000 patient encounters each year.

Rotations

The structure delineates two years of rotations, where the first year encompasses intensive clinical exposure across all sites, including significant participation in inpatient consultations and continuity clinics.

Year 1 rotations typically include: UMMC Endocrinology Consults for 3 months, UMMC Midtown for 2 months, and the Baltimore VA Medical Center for an additional 2 months focused on ambulatory care and research.

Year 2 rotations allow fellows to specialize more either research or clinical care based on their career aspirations.

Application Requirements

Interested candidates must possess a completed U.S.-based Internal Medicine residency program and must be board eligible or board certified. The program accepts three fellows annually. Applications are accepted until August 1 of the application year, with interviews held virtually in September and October. Non-U.S. applicants are required to hold either a J-1 visa or permanent resident status (green card) as H-1 visa sponsorship is not provided.

Competitiveness

This fellowship program is highly competitive, appealing to both U.S. and non-U.S. medical graduates. The characteristics of the applicants also range from graduates of D.O. programs to internationally recognized medical schools, fostering a diverse applicant pool.

Visa Support

The fellowship program can sponsor J-1 visas for non-U.S. citizens; however, it does not offer support for H-1 visas.