Diabetes and Endocrinology

Diabetes and Endocrinology is a fascinating and rewarding career; the options and professional rewards are likely to improve significantly in the future.

Looking after patients with diabetes is a delight, enabling long term relationships to develop. With Primary Care stepping up to manage the majority of patients without complications in Type II Diabetes, Consultants will be able to focus on intensive insulin therapy and medical issues. The requirement for intensive insulin, pumps and continued glucose monitoring as well as new therapies will make it an increasingly rewarding and challenging career.

Endocrinology is an ideal foil to diabetes where the majority of conditions are fascinating, protocols are logical and without exception, outcomes are excellent.

The training programme in Wessex has always been highly regarded with a very good record of placing Consultants in ideal jobs. The rotation will involve three years in the district hospitals and one year in Southampton. The experience gained in each hospital is unique and genuinely builds with each centre giving different experience and options. In the first year you will be expected to step up to the role of Registrar to learn leadership and understand the management of a Diabetes and Endocrine firm in a District General Hospital.

Diabetes experience is exceptional in areas of the region with many leaders in intensive insulin therapy and education. Bournemouth is a leading light in intensive insulin therapy. This experience is also gained in Winchester, Basingstoke, Dorset, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth. In all areas there is absolutely excellent diabetes care with well organised centres. Whilst they do things differently they all bring merit.

Throughout the time of training you will be exposed to endocrinology. In Southampton your endocrine experience will be consolidated usually in the fourth year. There are plenty of opportunities in Southampton to do specialist clinics, and this is a regional endocrine / surgical unit with many patients being seen with rare tumours, specialised neuroendocrine clinics, regional pituitary surgery, regional paediatric services, infertility services as well as general endocrinology. Portsmouth is a large centre where further opportunity to consolidate endocrine experience and practice is available.

Research is a feature of the region with opportunities for research in many centres. We would encourage you to think about the development of your career and timings, the direction and focus of your own intended Consultant career and to think early about getting involved in research. Opportunities exist in many of the centres and you should discuss these at an early stage with Professor Mike Cumming, Professor David Kerr or Professor Christopher Byrne. The majority of research opportunities exist in the field of diabetes. There is a limited opportunity for endocrine research with Professor Richard Holt.

As well as the teaching at each centre, there is a monthly all day Friday meeting centred at Salisbury. The first of these will be an induction day with the opportunities to discuss how you should take advantage of the training opportunities as you move around and how to develop your CV and prepare for your future career.

Wessex Endocrine Trainees Forum has been designed to cater primarily for the training and information needs of endocrine trainees in the region. It also provides details regarding the training and research opportunities in the region.

Welcome to Wessex Deanery

Diabetes and Endocrinology