.:.Welcome To Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.:.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a common endocrine disorder that inflicts a large segment of the population the world over. With changes in lifestyle inclusive of dietary changes, alteration in physical activity and other exogenous factors it has reached epidemic proportions over the last two decades. The problem in India cannot be understated, as most epidemiological studies show an exponential increase in the prevalence of the disease to 11-19% in urban areas, and 4-10% in rural areas above the age of 30years.

Type 2 diabetes is also becoming a major problem with the negative changes in lifestyle. The management of diabetes mellitus involves proper diet control, exercise, medications and lifestyle modification. Like most chronic disorders, if the patient understands the underlying disorder, it’s associated complications and proper handling of medications- glycaemic control and prevention of associated complications are improved.

The number of doctors available to treat the disorder is limited, in most undergraduate and postgraduate set ups in India, the focus on handling diabetes and other non-communicable disorders which are metabolically related are not adequately emphasized. Besides regular clinical work, the scope for laboratory and clinical research in the area of diabetes is also large.

We propose the introduction of a holistic course which enables both graduates and post graduates to adequately train and equip themselves to handle diabetes mellitus.

The department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Christian Medical College Vellore has intensified it’s activities in clinical spheres, training and Research for the past 8 years and is now considered to be one of the key leaders in Training and Research in diabetes in India. There has been in service training with theoretical lectures, hands on experience with patients, device training involving glucometers, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems.

At present there is no formal training course with any medical council of India certificate for clinical diabetes in India. However, the department of endocrinology has been training endocrinology registrars and diabetes nurse educators for the last 7 years .

Diabetes being as common as it is cannot be the sole management domain of endocrinologists. There are more than 45 million subjects with diabetes expected to increase to 80 million by 2025, which is more than the regular general physician can handle.

The clinical sphere, management tools and research areas have grown to a large extent. Thus the role for a sub-specialist in diabetes to handle this large volume of patients is necessary, moreover at the central level this is being mooted as a possibility, and an MCI recognized course is in the offing. This course is meant to be intensive and cover the rudiments of diabetes and focus on the developing the clinical abilities of the trainees and research skills, and develop a perspective of handling diabetes from bench to bedside in any setting.

In addition, the World Diabetes Foundation had given Christian Medical College Vellore the opportunity to start short courses for doctors and educators for more than 100 hospitals across India, where by the training programme has evolved and course material and a book have been developed. The Copenhagen project has given the department the opportunity to develop basic science research facilities with regards to energy expenditure and clamps studies

The department has conducted 25 clinical trials in diabetes, which include phase 2 and phase 3 trials and has several personal qualified in good clinical practice and technical expertise in conducting trials.

The integrated diabetes clinic and the endocrine outpatients see around 25,000 diabetes patients per year. The back up of the clinical biochemistry laboratory, surgical departments, the diabetes nurse educators, dieticians and PMR are excellent and give support services and training expertise in handling diabetes.

It is necessary that specialized full-time doctors to handle diabetes and the team with an academic qualification be inducted into the system thereby enhancing the integrated management of diabetes mellitus in secondary and tertiary care systems across the country.

Clinical experience: 38 weeks
i) Outpatient and Ward	27 weeks = 1220 hours
ii) Clinical Trials	5 weeks= 225 hours
iii) Outreach diabetes programmes	1 week = 45hours
iv) Advanced device training	2 weeks = 90 hours
v) Teaching and lectures	1 week = 45 hours
vi) Clamp studies and Basic science work	4 weeks = 180 hours
vii) Biochemistry laboratory	4 weeks = 180 hours
viii) Artificial limb centre	1 week = 45 hours
ix) Biostatistics and Epidemiology	4 weeks = 180 hours
x) Peripheral Hospital	3 weeks = 135 hours
Total -52 weeks = 2120 hours for post-MD - 1 year
(4240 hours for post-MBBS) - 2 years

The candidate should be able to develop a basic understanding of the philosophy, principles and methods of in diabetes management, education and research in diabetes mellitus.

i) Assess and provide management of diabetes with regards to pathogenesis, diet, exercise, medications and device utilization for patients with diabetes mellitus.

ii) To be able to teach other paramedical health personnel in the basics of clinical practice in diabetes mellitus.

iv) To develop the capacity to conduct outreach programmes in relation to diabetes

v) Set up a diabetes clinic and develop basic ward and laboratory infrastructure in a peripheral hospital

viii) To handle hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies and energy expenditure studies

Course	Theory	Practical
Diabetes Fundamentals and Education	180 hours	1220 hours
Clinical Trials	5 hours (GPC Training)	220 hours
Outreach Programmes		45 hours
Advanced Device Training	10 hours	80 hours
Peripheral Hospital		145 hours

1. Introduction to Diabetes Mellitus physiology and anatomy of Islet cell Secretion
2. Glucose Metabolism
3. Glucose Monitoring Devices - strategies for use and economics
4. Definition and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus
5. Type I Diabetes Mellitus and Type II Diabetes Mellitus
6. Oral Hypoglycaemic Agents-
7.Diet in Diabetes Mellitus Pt-I
8. Diet with dyslipidemia, renal failure and pancreatic disease.
9. Physical Examination of a diabetes patient 2 hours
10. Exercise & Diabetes Mellitus- the physiology
11. Exercise & Diabetes Mellitus- the clinical aspects
12. Management issues & Hospitality
13. Peripheral Neuropathy
14. Insulins & Insulin Therapy
15. Diabetic Ketoacidosis
16. Hypoglycaemia
17. Diabetic Retinopathy
18. Footwear & foot care
19. Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnancy
20. Lifestyle & DM
21. Diabetic Nephropathy
22. Diabetes and Hypertension
23. Diabetes of foot care & Surgery
24. Nursing Care in DM
25. Cardiovascular Disease in DM
26. Insulin Administering devices in diabetes
27. Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy
28. Infections in Diabetes Mellitus
29. Pancreatic Diabetes Mellitus
30. Secondary Diabetes Mellitus
31. Smoking and Alcohol in Diabetes
32. Biostatistics and epidemiology
33. Clinical Trial Methodology
34. Insulin Pump usage
35. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems
36. Diabetes in Childhood
37. MODY
38. Psychosocial aspects of diabetes
39. Diabetes in the Elderly
40. Techniques in financial management and cost-accounting
41. Diabetes and Lipids
42. Diabetes Mellitus- International
Epidemiological perspective
43. Biochemistry of tests in Diabetes Mellitus

CLINICAL TRIAL INVOLVEMENT

A well-rounded diabetes physician should have the ability to be actively involved in clinical trials. The trainees will be intensively coached in data management, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) skills and laboratory basics. They will routinely attend the weekly diabetes research group meeting.
The will need to:-
a) Attend at least one good clinical practice course.
b) They will be enrolled as one of the site coordinators in at least one phase 2 or phase 3
clinical trial during their course period.

a. Insulin Pump and CGMS Trainee Certification
b. Three publications as co-author in indexed journals
c. Thesis project
d. Peripheral Hospital diabetes clinic organization: during their three week stay
    at a peripheral hospital (mission) they will have to develop a diabetes clinic,
    improve inpatient diabetes practice, train the medical and paramedical staff on
    practices in diabetes, improve laboratory quality control and provide rational
    and cost-effective stocking of pharmaceutical products in the pharmacy

The candidate will be expected to develop a prospective clinical study on a specific area in
diabetes mellitus with adequate epidemiological backing. Basic skills in biostatistics should
mastered.

THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT
Depending on the lectures that are conducted, periodic multiple choice question tests will be
conducted depending on the schedule of seminars- appropriate tests will be conducted in
connection with the seminars.
The marks will be consolidated and tallied for internal assessment.
The results of the tests will be discussed immediately and a tutorial conducted thereby.

1)	Multiple choice assessment	3hours –1 paper
2)	Long and short answers assessment	3 hours – 3 papers
		a) Basic Science of Diabetes b) Clinical and Laboratory Practice in Diabetes c) Recent Advances in Diabetes

A Two full days clinical examination will be conducted at the end of the course
Eminent teachers in endocrinology and the diabetes segment will be invited as external
Examiners.