Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Fellowship Program
Endocrinology training in inpatient and outpatient care
Endocrinology training in inpatient and outpatient care
Scripps Clinic and Scripps Green Hospital's Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Fellowship Program began in 1956. It boasts a rich history including of participation in major clinical trials and of faculty who are founding board members of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Our group, as a whole, has published more than 400 articles in peer reviewed medical journals.
Scripps Clinic Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology is known for its multidisciplinary approach to patient care and its wide-reaching inpatient and outpatient services. We treat more than 27,000 patients with diabetes every year. Scripps Health is nationally recognized as a leader in endocrinology and diabetes care.
Graduates of our fellowship program have pursued careers in clinical care, clinical research and academic medicine.
Program highlights
Program highlights
Our fellowship at Scripps Clinic and Scripps Green Hospital is a two-year ACGME-accredited program offering broad training. Parameters of the program and opportunities for training include the following:
- Clinical training heavily emphasized throughout both years
- Fellows develop and maintain their own panel of patients managed with the supervision of faculty preceptors, ensuring continuity of care and excellent longitudinal clinical experience
- Seven half-day continuity clinics (view a sample fellows schedule (PDF, 120 KB))
- Extensive procedural experience that includes thyroid ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration, radioiodine administration, bone densitometry, and use of/download of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors
- Elective clinic rotations that include lipidology, reproductive endocrinology, pediatric endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, weight management/obesity medicine and transgender medicine
- Required presentations delivered once a month at one of our weekly didactic conferences, twice a year at the division’s monthly journal club and once a year at the UCSD weekly Endocrine Grand Rounds
- Journal club presentations include article reviews pertaining to social determinants of health and how they impact our patients and others with endocrine disease
- Monthly interdisciplinary conferences (e.g., cytopathology, radiology) expand fellows’ knowledge base and collaboration with our colleagues in other specialties
- Weekly board review with faculty preceptors
- Fellows and faculty all volunteer their time one morning per month within the Endocrinology clinic at the Barrio Logan location of Family Health Centers of San Diego; this is a required component of the training experience and allows fellows to further their experience in caring for marginalized populations and to develop an ability to work within different layers of the health system
- J1 visa applicants are supported by our program
Weight management and obesity medicine
Weight management and obesity medicine
Patient care in our weight management division makes up an elective rotation for first year fellows but is a required component of training for second year fellows. During this experience, fellows can expect to learn about and practice endocrine-related obesity medicine in both pediatric and adult populations.
This comprises management strategies that include diet, exercise, anti-obesity medication use and metabolic surgical approaches. They will learn about the pathophysiologic role of adipocytes in the endocrine system as well as the role satiety hormones play in obesity. Metabolic surgical care will require fellows to understand and treat the myriad nutritional and hormonal problems that can arise after such surgery.
Fellows will have the opportunity to interact with a multidisciplinary team that includes adult and pediatric endocrinologists, registered dieticians who assist with calculation of calorie targets, diet composition, and meal replacement strategies and behavior coaches. Interaction and collaborative care also takes place with our bariatric surgeons who assist in teaching about preoperative counseling and management as well as post-operative care including vitamin management.
Numerous research projects for fellows have emerged from this critical part of fellowship training.
Research opportunities
An original research requirement in clinical, translational or basic science under the guidance of an experienced investigator offers fellows the opportunity to design and carry out their own clinical research. Orientation sessions are provided to instruct on the support given by the Scripps Health Academic Research Hub.
Clinical research in endocrinology, collaborative studies with other fields of medicine and basic/transitional research can all be pursued depending on the interest of the fellow. Read about our $2.9 Million NIH research grant.
Scripps Clinic is co-located with the Scripps Research Institute and the Scripps Translational Science Institute, providing fellows with readily available research opportunities.
Fellows have protected time during both their first and second year for research efforts. Fellows are required to present their research findings at the end of their second year. They are further encouraged to present at organizational meetings, including Endocrine Society, American Diabetes Association (ADA), American Thyroid Association and American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE).
Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute: our partner in care
One of the strengths of the fellowship program is the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute (SWDI). Recognized by the ADA for its empowering educational programs, SWDI is the coordinating hub for all Scripps diabetes-related research activities, including:
- NIH and sponsor-supported clinical research
- Diabetes and pregnancy management
- Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes education programs
- Technology training and ongoing support
- Diabetes psychology counseling (through our Behavioral Health Integration Program)
- Professional education offered to more than 1,000 Scripps Health care providers on new diabetes treatment methods
Leadership opportunities
Fellows take an active role in the teaching of rotating and non-rotating Internal Medicine residents at Scripps Clinic. Fellow participation is also expected in our institution’s Diabetes Steering Committee and is encouraged on other committees as desired, including our Graduate Medical Education Committee’s Quality Improvement/Patient Safety, Research, Wellness, and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) subcommittees. This allows fellows to lend their voices to and be intimately involved in the daily operation of their sponsoring institution.
Recent fellowship alumni
- Dr. Sadaf Farasat (2023) - Palomar Healthcare, Poway, CA
- Dr. Sylvie Pham (2023) - Sharp Healthcare, Chula Vista, CA
- Dr. Navya Reddy (2022) - Advanced Metabolic Care and Research, Escondido, CA
- Dr. Uzo Mba (2022) - Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA
- Dr. Maritza Carrillo (2021) - Scripps Clinic, Chula Vista, CA
- Dr. Pranjali Sharma (2020) - Parkview Medical Center, Pueblo, CO
- Dr. Julie Islam (2019) - Eisenhower Medical Center, Palm Springs, CA
- Dr. Renil Rodriguez-Martinez (2018) - Clinical Practice, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Dr. Lauren Clarine (2017) - Kaiser Permanente, San Diego, CA
Fellowship interviews during the 2023 recruitment cycle (for the 2024-25 academic year) will be 100% virtual. We are not, at this time, hosting on-campus visits either prior to or after the virtual interview. Applicants are welcome to come to the campus on their own to speak with and tour with our program coordinator.
Salary and benefits
Fellows at Scripps Health receive a standardized compensation package that includes a base salary, health insurance benefits, an educational allowance, paid vacation days, paid sick days and other benefits.
How to apply
Apply for a Scripps Green Hospital/Scripps Clinic fellowship program