Out of 1.2 million people living in the Bronx, about 16 percent, or 200,000, have type 2 diabetes. Nationally the figure is close to 12 percent based on the most recent data from the CDC. In adults 65 and older, it rises to nearly 30 percent.
Primary care doctors provide excellent care for the majority of patients with type 2 diabetes, but patients whose care needs are more challenging—those whose diabetes is not well-managed with first-line treatments, or who have other chronic illnesses, for instance—may benefit from a physician with training in endocrinology.
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Eric J. Epstein, M.D.
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Diabetes is the most prominent, but far from the only reason that demand for endocrinologists is on the rise. They also treat prevalent conditions such as overweight and obesity, thyroid disorders and osteoporosis, as well as patients with growth, hypothalamus/pituitary, parathyroid, adrenal and gonadal disorders.
Endocrinologists have comprehensive knowledge of the latest research and treatments to manage patients with complex hormone related disorders. Yet the number of residents applying for fellowships in endocrinology has fallen since 2010. To meet the needs of patients now and in the future as our population in the U.S. continues to age, Albert Einstein College of Medicine is participating in a new initiative of the Endocrine Society, called the Medical School Engagement Program (MSEP). The school is among only 10 nationwide selected as part of a highly competitive process.
“Our selection for this prestigious program speaks to Einstein’s commitment to meeting the needs of our patients,” says Eric J. Epstein, MD, interim chair of the department of medicine and professor of medicine, division of endocrinology. “Our students will gain exposure to training and opportunities in a specialty that is experiencing a gap between demand from patients and supply of physicians. We already run an engaging and immersive course that the students praise for helping their clinical reasoning and doctoring skills, but we now have a new challenge to continue piquing their enthusiasm through the rest of medical school and into residency. We’re excited to partner with the Endocrine Society to help foster a new generation of leaders in our field.”
The two-year program provides funding for faculty-led endocrinology interest groups; two “excellence in endocrinology awards” for medical students; and attendance for medical students at the annual Endocrine Society meeting, where they will participate in a mentoring day and meet with society leadership.
Dr. Epstein is also director of the endocrine systems course for second-year medical students at Einstein and led the effort to apply for the MSEP. “We will design one award for pre-clinical achievement in the endocrine systems course, to be given to a student who shows interest outside the classroom through shadowing, for example, or a medical education improvement project,” he said, describing the types of awards Einstein will offer students. “We will also have a clinical award for a student who engages with the community for the betterment of endocrine patients or works on a research project or clinical case write-up that leads to an abstract or poster at the annual Endocrine Society meeting.”
“MSEP recipients stood out with exceptional leadership in education, innovative approaches, and unwavering commitment to advancing pathways to careers in endocrinology,” said the society in a news release.
“Timely, ongoing, and engaging mentorship with medical students—starting early, and continuing through their educational careers—can play a significant role in increasing interest in a specialty,” said Robert W. Lash, MD, the society’s chief medical officer. “Our goal with this new program is to increase medical students’ interest and enthusiasm in endocrinology as their career choice.”
Posted on: Thursday, June 06, 2024