Endocrinology Fellowship

Stanford University and the Division of Endocrinology have a long history of outstanding research and clinical excellence. The clinical program encompasses inpatient consultations and outpatient clinics at three hospitals: Stanford Health Care (SHC) in Stanford, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VA) in Palo Alto, and the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) in San Jose.

Fellow Application Instructions

Our subspecialty training program is designed to provide two to three years of advanced clinical and research training in the field of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. Our major emphasis is on training the next generation of leaders in clinical endocrinology, medical education, and endocrine research. Our program recognizes that some trainees may evolve into specialists whose activities encompass more than one of the above career paths.

Trainees are given increasing responsibility as they progress through the program and demonstrate their expanding knowledge base and expertise in diagnosis and management of endocrine disease. They serve as leaders of the endocrine consult team and supervise rotating medical students and residents. Our program emphasizes a scholarly approach to diagnosis and management through a combination of core didactics, guided clinical and research experience, and self-directed learning.  

In both tracks, there is emphasis on training in all the competencies, including practice-based learning and systems-based practice, through participation in quality improvement projects and the Stanford Hospital diabetes task force. There is a dedicated endocrine fellow curriculum as well as a multitude of regular educational conferences, including patient conferences, grand rounds, journal club, and various tumor boards.  In addition, there are ample opportunities for fellows to participate in teaching of medical students and residents. There are also professional development programs that trainees participate in including the SHAPES program for clinical education, the RITE program for improvement and the LEAD program to enhance diversity. 

First year: The first year of fellowship is similar for both the research and clinical tracks and is devoted to comprehensive clinical training. Fellows rotate through our three-hospital system, including Stanford, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. These experiences provide broad exposure to both common endocrine conditions and complex, rare disorders across diverse patient populations.

Clinical Track: Second-year fellows in the clinical track continue to build on the inpatient and outpatient clinical experiences of the first year while pursuing advanced training in areas aligned with their interests and career goals. Fellows have the opportunity to participate in a variety of specialty clinics across Stanford, including endocrine genetics, pediatric endocrinology, weight management clinic, andrology, and reproductive endocrinology, among others. In addition, many of our clinical track fellows participate in professional development and leadership programs across Stanford focused on medical education, quality improvement, and promoting leadership and access. 

Research Track: During the second year, fellows in the research track maintain a continuity clinic in general endocrinology, participate in all fellowship didactic conferences, and provide inpatient service coverage for several weeks throughout the year. The majority of their time is dedicated to mentored research activities, allowing them to develop the skills and scholarly portfolio for a career in academic endocrinology. 

Research fellows participate in a one-week Intensive Course in Clinical Research at the start of fellowship. Beginning in the second year, fellows devote the majority of their time to basic, translational, or clinical research under the mentorship of faculty within the Division of Endocrinology or other Stanford investigators engaged in endocrine-related research. Fellows also have access to the extensive research training opportunities and coursework available across Stanford University.

Clinical fellows are encouraged to engage in scholarly activity through two weeks of dedicated research time annually, as well as protected academic time incorporated into their outpatient rotations.