Fellowship Program Director: Rachel I. Gafni, MD, FASBMR
Overview
The fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology is a three-year ACGME-accredited program providing comprehensive training in clinical patient management and in the development of research skills. The fellowship is administratively supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and is based at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health (NIH CC) in Bethesda, Maryland. The NICHD program is located in one of the largest and most sophisticated research institutions in the United States. The program supports clinical research protocols investigating the treatment of adrenal and pituitary tumors, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, abnormal pubertal development, idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis, Cushing's syndrome, obesity, among other conditions. Fellows gain critical skills in the development and execution of clinical and/or basic research projects while learning first-hand how to manage a wide range (from common to exceptionally rare) pediatric endocrine disorders.
Program Structure
The Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship at NIH consists of one year of clinical training, and two years of combined clinical and research training. During the first year, fellows complete rotations at Children’s National Health System, Walter Reed National Medical Center and at the NIH Clinical Center, and have optional electives at Johns Hopkins. During the second and third years, mandatory clinical responsibilities are limited to allow fellows to focus on their research projects.
At the end of the first year, a research mentor is chosen. During the following two years, fellows learn how to develop a research protocol, conduct a clinical study, evaluate the results, and generate a manuscript suitable for publication. Fellows also have the option to work in a laboratory setting performing state-of-the-art basic science research, while supervised by expert mentors. Each fellow's project(s) and progress are monitored by an oversight committee, according to the guidelines of the American Board of Pediatrics. See also the following site for more information on research training at the NIH: NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education.
Additional Information
For more information, please visit the NICHD Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program webpage.
Selected fellows may participate in the NIH-Duke Master's Program in Clinical Research, one of the nation's first training programs in clinical research. This program allows participants to attend formal courses in research design, research management, medical genomics, and statistical analysis at the Clinical Center by means of video-conferencing from Duke or on-site by adjunct faculty. The program leads to a Master of Health Sciences in Clinical Research, a professional degree awarded by the Duke University School of Medicine.
Fellows may be eligible for the NIH loan repayment program.
Application Information
The Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. We are actively accepting applications.