Academic Conferences, Clinical Training, and Research Initiatives

Tuesday afternoons are dedicated to a robust series of educational conferences:

• Endocrinology Grand Rounds: A weekly joint session with Adult Endocrinology.
• Med/Peds Endocrinology Case Conference and Internal Medicine Endocrine Fellow Lecture: Pediatric Endocrinology is invited to participate in both.
• Pediatric Endocrinology Conference: Rotates weekly between:
  • Journal Club
  • Fellow-led Endocrine Topic Presentations
  • Faculty-led Endocrine Topic Discussions
  • Monthly Diabetes Case Conference: Reviews all new-onset or newly referred diabetes patients, recent DKA admissions, and cases requiring psychosocial support.

Additional weekly educational activities include:

• Monday afternoons: Fellows meet with the Fellowship Director for case-based learning with a focus on Board preparation.
• Thursday mornings: Pediatric Grand Rounds provide exposure to a wide range of pediatric topics.
• Pediatric Fellows Forum: A collaborative space for all Pediatric Fellows to share research, explore core topics like statistics and human subjects research, and receive peer and faculty feedback.
• Daily Pediatrics Morning Report: A multidisciplinary review of notable pediatric admissions from the previous 24 hours, attended by residents, hospitalists, and subspecialists.

Clinical Rotations

Fellows gain comprehensive clinical experience through a diverse set of specialized clinics, including:

Pediatric Clinics

• Pediatric Diabetes Clinic
• Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic
• Pediatric Gender Health Clinic
• Pediatric Diabetes Prevention & Fitness Clinic
• Pediatric Bariatric Surgery Clinic
• Pediatric CF (Cystic Fibrosis) Endocrinology Clinic
• Pediatric Bone Health Clinic
• Pediatric Oncology Survivorship Clinic

Adult Clinics

• Adult Adrenal Clinic
• Adult Thyroid Clinic
• Adult Pituitary Clinic
• Adult Thyroid Surgery Clinic

Other Rotations

• Clinical Laboratory Rotation: Provides hands-on experience with endocrine lab testing and interpretation.

At the UVA Center for Diabetes Technology (CDT), Dr. Mark DeBoer and Dr. Marc Schoelwer lead groundbreaking clinical trials focused on improving diabetes care. The CDT is renowned for developing the insulin dosing algorithm that powers many of today’s closed-loop artificial pancreas systems. In addition to this transformative work, the center continues to drive innovation through a wide range of ongoing studies.

Dr. DeBoer has also pioneered the Metabolic Syndrome Severity Score, a continuous metric that tracks changes in metabolic risk over time. His global health research includes a project in Tanzania investigating the risk factors contributing to growth stunting in vulnerable children.

Dr. Santhi Logel is dedicated to enhancing diabetes care through quality improvement (QI) initiatives. Her work focuses on optimizing the transition from pediatric to adult care and implementing the Project ECHO model to support diabetes management in schools through staff training and education.

Dr. Anshu Gupta explores the complex interplay between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), prediabetes, and obesity. She is also a passionate advocate for patients with adrenal disorders and is actively involved in medical education research, particularly in curriculum development and the assessment of pediatric trainees.

Dr. Madhusmita Misra investigates neuroendocrine, metabolic, and bone health across a spectrum of conditions—from anorexia nervosa and amenorrheic athletes to obesity, autism spectrum disorder, and type 1 diabetes. In collaboration with Dr. Claudia Burt-Solorzano, she is studying:

• The use of oxytocin as a bone anabolic therapy in children with autism (ages 6–18)
• Pharmacologic treatments for low bone density in young women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (ages 16–25)
• The impact of GLP-1 analog-induced weight loss on bone health in youth (ages 12–21)

Dr. Michael Misakian (he/him/his) recently led the first national study on injectable estradiol use in adult transgender women, focusing on estradiol levels and testosterone suppression. The first phase of this landmark study has been published (link to publication), while the second phase—currently under analysis—explores the role of micronized progesterone as an adjunct to antiandrogen therapy.