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Endocrinology: the next 60 years

There are exciting times ahead in endocrinology, as are occurring across all fields of medicine, with an increasing blurring between disease and ‘non-disease’. There are genuine challenges ahead to win the battle against obesity and diabetes, and to manage the consequences of frailty in a progressively aged society. To protect the charter of endocrinology, we must not confuse our goal to improve the treatment of genuine endocrinopathy with the medicalisation of the problems of life and lifestyle. The practice of evidence-based medicine must be followed regardless of the degree of technological advancement. The future generation should be reminded that HRT did not improve health-related quality…

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 The Endocrine Society’s Dangerous Transgender Politicization

In truth, over the past decade transgender activists have co-opted the Endocrine Society and other professional organizations to promote such treatments for adolescents and even young children. Their guidelines are based on flimsy evidence, giving the appearance that invasive and irreversible treatments are beneficial for young patients despite a growing body of evidence to the contrary. The guidelines have been used by lawmakers in states such as California and New York to endanger children—and now by judges to block state efforts at protecting youngsters.

Articles of Interest

Defining the future of endocrinology

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was a watershed moment that resulted in completely new ways of working. It also provided a point in time to reflect on current clinical service models and their need for radical change, including better use of digital services, new service models, streamlined referral and better integration with primary care. It gave an opportunity to innovate and create services fit for the future: ones that are truly patient-centred.

Editorial: What's New in Endocrinology?

The increasing speed of technological advances provides endocrinologists with ever more powerful tools for investigation, diagnosis and treatment. As the pressures of modern lifestyles involve major changes in how we live and eat and demographics markedly increase the elderly population the challenges endocrinologists face in the clinic are constantly evolving.

Female Physicians and the Future of Endocrinology

Given that approximately 70% of current endocrinology fellows are women, female physicians will compose the majority of the future endocrinology workforce. This gender shift partly reflects an apparent waning of interest in endocrinology among male trainees. It also coincides with a projected shortage of endocrinologists overall. Female physicians face unique challenges in the workplace. To continue to attract trainees to the specialty and support their success, it is imperative that these challenges be recognized, understood, and addressed.

Mind the Gap: How the Endocrine Society Is Taking Steps to Ensure the Future of Endocrinology

As endocrinology fellowships go unfilled, leaders in the field are growing more concerned about the ability for endocrinology to meet the needs of future patients grappling with diabetes, obesity, and other endocrine disorders. To mitigate this potential gap, the Endocrine Society launched the Medical School Engagement Program (MSEP) to boost the interest of medical students across the country.

MSEP Is Fueling Future Endocrinologists

There is an alarming shortage of U.S. medical students choosing to enter the field of endocrinology, a situation exacerbated by the declining number of practicing endocrinologists in the United States to treat a rapidly growing number of people with endocrine-related diseases. This creates barriers and challenges for the entire healthcare community, including patients, endocrinologists, and primary care clinicians.

Reproductive Problems in Both Men and Women Are Rising at an Alarming Rate

A likely culprit is hormone-disrupting chemicals.

The future of endocrinology

It is all too common for many major endocrine diseases to no longer be recognised as such, and therefore to be more frequently dealt with by other specialists, both clinically and culturally. Classic examples include osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes and reproductive endocrinology. One major task for ESE will be to bring back the endocrinologist as a key player in the management of these important disorders.

The U.S. Endocrinologist Shortage: Understanding the Issue

Roughly 85% of Americans with diabetes rely on a general practitioner for their care. This can be sufficient for more manageable diabetes, particularly for patients with type 2. However, primary care physicians receive little training in complex diabetes care, which is necessary for treating challenging patients or patients who require more professional assistance with disease management. These clinicians are not always familiar with the latest diabetes technologies and treatments available — and diabetes treatment options have increased in scale and complexity. Endocrinologists can help close the gaps in treating diabetes and its related complications.

What it’s like to specialize in endocrinology: Shadowing Dr. Newman

The most challenging and rewarding aspects of endocrinology: For me, the most challenging aspect is caring for patients with a poor prognosis—such as people with large pituitary tumors—that cannot be fully removed surgically, or people with diabetes who have vascular and renal complications. Some of the diseases we treat do not respond to medication or surgery—particularly large hormone-secreting tumors—and sometimes there may be no other therapy.

Why Endocrinology: The Perfect Combination of Science and Medicine

I chose endocrinology because I wanted to be an excellent researcher, clinician, and educator, and there is no other area of medicine that can combine these three skills in such a perfect way. I have been fortunate to have great mentors along my career path and I hope to provide such guidance to future researchers and doctors going forward to repay in some small measure the good fortune I have received, and to further influence the future of medicine overall.

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The Endocrinologist

The Endocrinologist is the Society's member magazine. Discover the latest news in endocrinology, and keep up to date with Society's activities!