Goals & Objectives
- To develop a general understanding of the principles that underlie the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of a range of thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, bone, mineral metabolism, nutritional, and reproductive disorders.
- To develop a detailed understanding of the considerations involved in the evaluation and management of the following disorders.
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
- Thyroid nodules, goiter and cancer
- Hyperprolactinemia
- Cushing's syndrome
- Pheochromocytoma
- Osteoporosis
- Primary hyperparathyroidism
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic neuropathy
- Hypoglycemia
- Hyperlipidemia
- Amenorrhea
- Hypogonadism
- Hirsutism
Relevant Competencies
Case residents will be expected to develop and demonstrate proficiency in the following tasks
- Evaluating relevant clinical information provided by referring providers
- Taking a complete history focused on the identification of specific symptoms that may be consistent with underlying endocrine disorders
- Performing a thorough physical examination focused on looking for specific findings that may be consistent with underlying endocrine disorders including hypothyroidism, thyrotoxicosis, thyroid neoplasia, hyperprolactinemia, hypercortisolemia, and insulin resistance
- Presenting a concise summary of a patient's history and physical examination findings
- Generating an initial plan to direct further evaluation or treatment
- Interpreting different patterns of laboratory test results including
- Thyroid function tests
- Urinary free cortisol levels and dexamethasone suppression tests
- Urinary metanephrine and catecholamine levels
- Calcium and PTH levels
- Plasma glucose levels, oral glucose tolerance tests, and aggregated blood glucose measurements
- Fasting lipid profiles
- Sex steroid, gonadotropin, and prolactin levels
- Interpreting different radiographic study results including
- Thyroid uptake studies and thyroid scans
- Pituitary MRI scans
- DEXA scans
Conferences
Core concept lectures are given every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:00 AM in the Conference Room located on the 7th Floor of the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center. Case residents and medical students on the Endocrinology elective are expected to attend. Each lecture focuses on a key topic in the field of Endocrinology and Metabolism with illustration provided by selected case studies.
Case residents and medical students on the Endocrinology elective are encouraged to attend Friday Conferences held in the Division of Endocrinology located in Suite 333 of the 1830 Building. Lunch is usually provided. Conferences usually run from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM.
Clinical Activities
Case residents spend most of their time working with attendings and fellows in the Endocrinology Clinic and the Diabetes Center. The Endocrinology Clinic is located in Suite A on the 7th Floor of the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center. Patients are scheduled to be seen in the Endocrinology Clinic every morning of the week from 8:00 AM - 12:00 AM. The Diabetes Center is located on the 2nd floor of the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center. Patients may be scheduled to be seen in the Diabetes Center on Thursday mornings from 8:00 AM - 12:00 AM, depending on the timing of Diabetes Education Program sessions. Case residents are expected to arrive in the Endocrinology Clinic by 9:00 AM each morning. During each session, case residents will be given the opportunity to interact with new patients presenting for evaluation.
