GUIDELINES FOR COMPETENCY BASED POSTGRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR DM IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
The goals of the DM Endocrinology programme are:
Duration of DM Endocrinology Course: 3 Years
Educational Qualifications and eligibility: A candidate must possess M.D. in medicine or Pediatrics from an MCI recognized University/Medical College. A candidate possessing any other post-graduate degree will not be eligible
Age Limit: 35 years, relaxable in case of SC/ST candidates by a maximum of 5 year. The upper age limit is not applicable to sponsored candidates. [The committee suggested that there should be an upper age limit of 50 years for the sponsored candidates – Input to be provided by MCI]
Method of selection
Through NEET
SYLLABUS
A three years training period designed to meet the minimum requirements for training in endocrinology prior to certification, should include the following:
Hormonal assays
All the candidates should be involved in the direct care of the patients admitted to the endocrine services. This will include taking a complete history and performing a comprehensive examination. Additionally residents will be required to attend outpatient endocrine clinics where consultants will be available for on spot with the teachers. The OPD will rum all 6 days in a week. The subject seminars, journal club and case presentations will happen post lunch. The residents will be expected to keep a record of seminars and journal clubs presented by them, and interesting cases (which they have worked up in detail, during their tenure of 3 years and have it duly signed by the teacher.
LABORATORY RESEARCH
Residents will have a rotation in the laboratory for better understanding of the methodologies assays. They will have a detailed training in statistical methods and methodologies of research. A training if possible in SPSS should be given.
The candidate should submit at least 1 research paper and 2 case reports in indexed publications, during their training period.
The entire course should be divided into 6 semesters, covering the following areas:
Diabetes
Thyroid disease
Metabolic bone disease
Reproductive endocrinology and paediatric endocrinology
Adrenal disorders and
Pituitary disorders and endocrine emergencies.
The seminars in each semester should be dedicated exclusively to one area. Hence, in three years all the major topics will be covered. There should be a six- two monthly assessment to evaluate knowledge in the topics covered in the preceding semester.
All efforts must be made by departments to ensure that each resident attends at least one national conference each in endocrinology and diabetes.
TRAINING IN AFFILIATED SPECIALITIES
Endocrine Radiology:
Meetings with Department of Radiology. These meetings will be conducted to discuss imaging, including CT and MRI, of patients seen in the OPD and in-patient service.
Nuclear Medicine:
Training in nuclear medicine should be coordinated with department of Nuclear Medicine. The residents will be given training in principles of scanning of various endocrine organs and interpretation of data. Additionally, regular fortnightly conferences should be scheduled with the nuclear medicine department where faculty and the resident staff should go over interesting scans of the previous month / fortnight.
Ophthalmology:
Residents should have an optimal exposure to medical ophthalmology and retinal diseases related to endocrinology.
Pathology and Cytopathology:
It is primarily aimed at providing trainee experience in the area of endocrine-related pathology and cyto- pathology.
DISSERTATION
The candidates registered for D.M. would be required to prepare a dissertation after undertaking original investigation (clinical or experimental) work, under the supervision of a faculty member. The protocol for the dissertation should be submitted and approved within 6 months of joining the course. The progress of this work, which is an important pre- requisite for completion of D.M. course, will be reviewed at regular intervals and results published at appropriate time based on progress of the work. Satisfactory completion of such work is a pre- requisite for candidates to appear for D.M. examination.
Each candidate should have three presentations for the dissertation: protocol presentation, follow-up review, final presentation. The dissertation should be submitted not later than 6 months prior to the final examination.
EXAMINATION
The examination will be held at the end of three years of training.
There will be 3 theory papers of 3 hours each; maximum 100 marks. Each paper should consist of 10 questions, each carrying equal marks.
Paper I: Basic science relevant to the discipline of endocrinology and metabolism.
Paper II: Clinical and therapeutic aspects of endocrinology and metabolism
Paper III: Clinical and therapeutic aspects of endocrinology and metabolism
Paper IV: Recent advances in endocrinology and metabolism.
Clinical examination: The clinical acumen of the candidates is objectively evaluated by testing his ability to arrive at diagnosis and suggest method of management. This examination will be done for 2 days, even if there is a single candidate:
Day 1: A carefully selected group of patients from the entire speciality will be given as cases for this examination [1 long cases (one of the long cases must be diabetes); 4 short cases; 4 spots].
Day 2: Examination based on clinical slides, imaging, emergencies, knowledge of evaluating laboratory data and techniques and viva voce will be conducted on the second day. Internal assessment should be taken into account so that examination is not a single day performance. To meet this requirement, departments should conduct 6-monthly internal assessment of each candidate.
Suggested Reading
Textbooks:
JOURNALS
Endocrine Journals
Non- Endocrine Journals
British Medical Journal
