The Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, aims to optimize the health and well-being of all individuals in our region living with endocrine disorders or diabetes. Our goals are to improve patient outcomes, ensure patient satisfaction, and be a reliable resource to our referring providers and the community at large.
Clinical activities and initiatives include:
Our division engages in basic science focusing on the genetics of type 1 diabetes mellitus, clinical therapeutics of obesity and thyroid cancer, and molecular therapeutics of genetic diseases. The division has a collaborative research program with the Diabetes Center of Excellence focusing on various aspects of beta cell biology, including strategies for beta cell preservation.
Our educational endeavors are broad-ranging and include coordinating and teaching UMass Chan Medical School students at all stages in their curriculum. The division offers study electives in diabetes and endocrinology for students and residents, and individual mentoring for MD and PhD students with a research focus in molecular therapeutics. We have a robust fellowship program for advanced training in endocrinology and diabetes. The division organizes multiple CME conferences on a weekly basis for residents, fellows, faculty, and endocrinologists in the community.
The division promotes a culture of inclusion by making an effort to hire a diverse workforce at all levels including our physicians, nursing, clinical, and administrative staff. In our patient population, diabetes predominantly affects those who are economically and socially disadvantaged. The cost of medications, diabetes supplies, and even healthy food is a barrier to effective diabetes management. We have partnered with the Shield’s specialty pharmacy to offer a pharmacy liaison service to our patients and providers. Through this, we are able to assist our patients with cost-effective solutions for medication management which include patient care assistance programs and other cost saving options. We also offer a coach program at no cost, to provide one-on-one assistance to those struggling the most with their diabetes management. We partner with local agencies that help provide healthy food and other resources to the socioeconomically disadvantaged. We also provide a caring environment to the transgender population by meeting their unique treatment goals for hormonal therapies.
