Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship

The Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center (NYP/WCMC) is an ACGME-accredited three-year program that prepares an individual for an active career in clinical care, research, and teaching. Our program provides comprehensive training in the evaluation and care of children and adolescents with endocrine disorders, leading to board eligibility in the subspecialty of pediatric endocrinology.  Weill Cornell Medicine Endocrinology fellows gain extensive experience with patient care for virtually every childhood endocrine disease. 

In addition, the program aims to develop highly qualified and productive investigators in clinical and/or laboratory research in the field of pediatric endocrinology. Fellows have many research  opportunities within Weill Cornell Medicine and our affiliated tri-institutional research centers, Rockefeller University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), as well as the adjacent Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).  The Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Pediatrics is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Phyllis and David Komansky Children’s Hospital.  Clinical research is supported through the Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC). The CTSC provides an integrated, comprehensive research support system that includes education, training and mentoring for clinical research investigators, coordinators, and staff.

Curriculum

The Pediatric Endocrine Fellowship consists of at least 12 months of clinical service that is completed during the three years of training. Fellows maintain simultaneous involvement in both patient care and research during all three years, with various amounts of time dedicated to research on rotation.

Clinical Training

First Year

During their first year, fellows are expected to be "on service" for approximately six months. The fellow on service is responsible for the care of primary endocrine inpatients, all emergency room, inpatient and outpatient consultation requests, and emergency outpatient endocrine issues and telephone calls, and rotates at the outpatient clinic areas. The program provides continuity clinics in both diabetes and general endocrine. 

Second and Third Year


In the second and third years of the fellowship, fellows are expected to spend approximately three months on service per year. Fellows spend the rest of their time on research, while they maintain their continuity outpatient clinics. During these two years, the fellows rotate for 6 to 8 weeks in the Pediatric Long-Term Follow-Up (PLTFU) Survivorship Clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Additional time in this setting can be arranged for fellows with a specific interest in cancer survivorship.

Research

Research is not uniquely allocated to the second and third years of fellowship. Instead, fellows are expected to do research during all three years of their fellowship during the schedule blocks when they are not “on service."  During these research blocks, which may be spent in a clinical or laboratory-based setting, fellows continue to rotate through the outpatient clinical areas.  Fellows are expected to develop and oversee the conduct of at least one formal study, analyze the results, and prepare a manuscript for publication in accordance with the standards set forth by the American Board of Pediatrics. Fellows are encouraged to attend and present their work at national or international meetings. Development of a grant proposal during the third fellowship year is strongly encouraged for those anticipating a continued career in research and academics. 

Fellows have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of research projects within faculty laboratories of collaborating investigators at the tri-institutional hospitals (Weill Cornell Medicine, Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) and the Hospital for Special Surgery. Clinical research is conducted through the Weill Cornell Medicine Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC).

Within the division of Pediatric Endocrinology, there is an opportunity for research mentorship in a wide range of topics, including:

  • Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, utilizing the resources of our CARES foundation designated Comprehensive Care Center (CCC) for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia 
  • Pediatric Obesity and the microbiome
  • Type 1 Diabetes 
  • Simulation exercises for training residents and fellows in managing acute endocrine emergencies
  • Endocrine late effects of childhood cancer survivors
  • Pediatric Thyroid Cancer

Additionally, collaborative research opportunities are available with other subspecialties focusing on studying Celiac Disease, Asthma, ADHD, and other common childhood disorders affecting the endocrine system.

Recent Research Projects

  • Short term responses and long-term outcomes of pediatric thyroid cancer patients treated with total thyroidectomy and I-131
  • Quality of life in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia
  • Association between endocrine-disrupting chemicals and hypospadias in newborns
  • Thyroid function after 3 years of age in babies suspected to have transient congenital hypothyroidism
  • Association between OGTT and Hba1c in adolescents with PCOS
  • Weight gain and use of GnRH agonists in children with precocious puberty
  • Outcomes of simulation training of pediatric residents for endocrine emergencies
  • Twice daily versus three times daily hydrocortisone dosing in children with CAH

Educational Sessions and Conferences

Fellows lead the pediatric endocrinology didactic lectures, board review and journal clubs, and case conferences. These sessions are designed to help trainees become familiar with the most current published literature in pediatric endocrinology, with a specific focus on board-relevant content as outlined by the ABP.

Day

Meeting

Time

Monday

Pediatric Endocrinology Didactic Sessions / Board Review

Varies

Tuesday

Pediatric Grand Rounds

8:30–9:30 a.m.

Tuesday

Pediatric / adult neuroendocrine case management conference (optional)

3-4 p.m.

Wednesday

Adult Endocrine Grand Rounds (at MSKCC) 

9-10 a.m. (every other week) 

Wednesday

Pediatric Endocrinology Journal Club / Case Conference

12:15-1:15 p.m.

Wednesday

Pediatric Brain Tumor Board (at MSKCC, optional)

2:30-3:30 p.m.

Thursday

Thyroid cancer case management conference (optional) 

8-9 a.m.

Thursday 

Pediatric Long-term follow-up case discussion/review
  (at MSKCC, optional)

 4-5 p.m.

Friday

Pediatric Professor Rounds

12–1 p.m.

Benefits

Benefits and salary are according to PGY level and determined by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Subsidized housing is usually available in the immediate vicinity of the hospital. 

How to Apply

Eligibility

Applicants must be board-eligible or board-certified in pediatrics, and graduates of a United States residency program. A curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation from the applicant's training program, and a personal statement are required. Interviews are then arranged. All accepted fellows must apply for and obtain a New York State Medical License.

Number of Positions

Our program usually accepts one fellow at each of the three years of training. Past graduates have gone on to rewarding academic careers in major medical centers.

Applications

The program supports and participates in the fellowship match, which for pediatric endocrinology is currently conducted in the Fall. Applications should be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). 

Our fellows come from a range of different backgrounds, skillsets, and experiences

We are a team of world-class pediatric providers

Contact Information

Oksana Lekarev, D.O.M.D., Director
Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program 505 E. 70 St., Third Floor New York, NY 10021
Phone: (646) 962-2030
Koree Richardson, Program Coordinator
Phone: (646) 962-2030

Pediatrics Weill Cornell Medicine Appointments & Referrals: (646) 962-KIDS (646) 962-5437 Chair's Office: Weill Cornell Medicine 525 E 68th St.
Box 225
New York, NY 10065 (646) 962-5437