Postgraduate School of Endocrinology and Metabolism

Integrated training objectives (i.e. common core)
The trainee must have acquired satisfactory theoretical knowledge and professional competence in the clinical and instrumental diagnosis and treatment, even in emergency-urgent conditions, of the most common internal medicine pathologies. The trainee must acquire the fundamental knowledge of physiopathology of the various organs and systems, the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for the recognition of diseases that affect the various systems of the body, the theoretical and practical knowledge of the main sectors of instrumental and laboratory diagnostics relating to the aforementioned diseases, the acquisition of the ability to evaluate internal medicine and specialist connections and influences. He must therefore be able to recognize the symptoms and clinical-functional signs with which diseases of various organs and systems manifest themselves, having acquired the fundamental diagnostic, therapeutic, psychological and ethical knowledge necessary for a global vision of the patient. To this end, he must develop the ability to clinically frame the patient on the basis of the anamnesis and objective examination; develop critical and analytical diagnostic skills; become familiar with the main diagnostic procedures and laboratory-instrumental investigations; recognize and be able to deal with the main medical emergencies; become familiar with the therapeutic resources to plan their optimal use and recognize their indications and contraindications, as well as the interaction effects and possible iatrogenic incidents; acquire the fundamental notions relating to clinical research methodologies and pharmacological trials; know the fundamental problems relating to prevention, public health and social medicine. The trainee must have acquired satisfactory theoretical knowledge and professional competence in the recognition and treatment, in emergency-urgency conditions, of the most common pathologies. Finally, the trainee must also know, from a clinical and therapeutic perspective, the most common pathologies covered by the other types of the class

Basic training objectives
Fundamental knowledge of anatomy-physiology, embryology of the endocrine and metabolic system, biochemistry of hormones and intermediate metabolism, genetics, mechanisms that determine the development of endocrine, andrological and metabolic diseases and the pathogenesis of complications

General training objectives
Statistical approach and acquisition of the biological bases for learning laboratory methodology, clinical practice and endocrine therapy.

Educational objectives of the school typology
- the acquisition of fundamental theoretical and technical knowledge of the laboratory sectors applied to endocrinology, andrology and metabolic diseases, with particular attention to the aspects of clinical biochemistry of hormone and metabolite dosages, cytohistology and diagnostic imaging; the evaluation of instrumental and functional tests useful for the diagnosis of endocrine, andrological and metabolic pathology with the related organ and system complications.
- the acquisition of the fundamental theoretical and technical knowledge necessary for the epidemiological evaluation and prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the endocrine system (including childhood and puberty endocrinology, neuroendocrine, endocrine and endocrine-dependent tumors, endocrine pathology of old age and endocrinology and physiopathology of human reproduction), andrological diseases (including erectile dysfunction and sexuality disorders, prevention and treatment of infertility in couples and techniques related to assisted fertilization) and metabolic diseases (including congenital dysmetabolic forms, childhood diabetes, prevention and treatment of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus, obesity, dyslipidemia, and metabolic pathology of bone and muscle);
- the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and clinical practice necessary to prevent, recognize and treat the main pathologies that constitute endocrine and metabolic emergency conditions;
- learning of knowledge relating to the possible applications of the most recent biotechnological applications to congenital and acquired endocrine diseases in clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic terms;
- acquiring theoretical knowledge and practical experience relating to the endocrine and metabolic aspects of childhood pathologies, including congenital and neonatal dysendocrine and dysmetabolic forms of childhood and adolescence, the use of auxological parameters and suitable diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and the evaluation of psychosocial aspects;
- acquiring theoretical knowledge and practical experience relating to the endocrine alterations responsible for male and female defects of reproductive activity, including infectious, dysendocrine, dysmetabolic aspects of couple infertility, the application of the relevant diagnostic techniques, multi-specialist treatments, including assisted fertilization and the psychosocial aspects of these conditions;
- the acquisition of knowledge related to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tumor pathology of the endocrine glands and neuroendocrine tumors and hormone-dependent tumors, including replacement therapies and those with hormone antagonists and the evaluation of psychosocial aspects and quality of life of the cancer patient including cryopreservation techniques of gametes in cancer patients;
- the learning of knowledge related to the possible applications of congenital and acquired andrological diseases in clinical terms (preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic) of the most recent biotechnological acquisitions;
- the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and practical experience related to congenital and acquired hormonal alterations, vascular, neurological and psychogenic of primary and secondary defects of erectile function and sexuality including the application of the related diagnostic techniques and the various types of hormonal and pharmacological treatments useful for the sexual well-being of the couple;
- the acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge relating to epidemiology, prevention, differential diagnosis, therapy, including educational therapy, of the different forms of obesity and thinness at various ages, including the interdisciplinary aspects of food and nutrition and the complications of eating disorders, the psychosocial aspects of these patients; the learning of knowledge relating to the possible applications in congenital and acquired metabolic diseases in clinical terms (preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic) of the most recent biotechnological acquisitions;
- the acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge relating to epidemiology and primary and secondary prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various forms of diabetes mellitus including childhood diabetes and diabetes in pregnancy and the multidisciplinary diagnostic prevention and treatment of risk factors for chronic complications of diabetes (ocular, nephrological, cardiovascular, etc.), including the psychosocial aspects of these patients;
- the acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge relating to epidemiology, prevention, differential diagnosis and treatment of lipid metabolism pathology, risk factors and treatment of atherosclerosis and related pathologies.
- knowledge of the main clinical pictures that characterize emergency conditions in the internal medicine field, with particular regard to endocrine-metabolic evaluation.
- the skills for evaluating the evolution of knowledge in the field of Human Sciences and their implications with regard to medico-legal and socio-health aspects.
- the acquisition of the main statistical, epidemiological, managerial and organizational models that characterize the social-health activity

The trainee, as part of the training path, will have to learn the scientific bases of the School typology in order to reach full maturity and professional competence that includes an adequate capacity to interpret scientific innovations and a critical knowledge that allows him to consciously manage both the assistance and his own updating; in this context, participation in meetings, conferences and the production of scientific publications and periods of attendance in qualified Italian and foreign institutions useful for his training may be foreseen.

Mandatory professionalizing activities for achieving the educational objectives of the Typology are:
- having personally followed in the inpatient department, Day Hospital, Day Service or outpatient clinic no less than 120 patients of which:
- no less than 50 patients with endocrinological, andrological and sexological pathologies
- no less than 50 patients with metabolic pathologies (diabetes mellitus, pathologies of the osteo-muscular metabolism, obesity, dyslipidemias, disorders of the water-salt balance, etc.) personally taking care of the clinical, laboratory and instrumental diagnostic setting, the therapeutic phase and that of the short and medium-term checks;
- having personally followed, including the phase of evaluation of the needs for execution, discussion and interpretation of the results:
- 50 clinical, laboratory and instrumental diagnostic tests of the endocrine glands
- 50 clinical, laboratory and instrumental diagnostic tests for diabetes mellitus and its complications and metabolic pathologies
- 50 clinical, laboratory and instrumental diagnostic tests for andrological and sexological pathologies;
- having carried out activities in the Inpatient Department, Day Hospital, Day Service and Outpatient Clinic in the Endocrinology sectors for no less than (240 hours), Andrology for no less than (200 hours), Diabetology and Metabolism for no less than (200 hours). Additional hours of activity will be planned, in order to acquire specific and advanced knowledge in the field of specialization in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, with particular reference to endocrine oncology, endocrine-metabolic emergencies, neuroendocrine pathologies, growth and puberty disorders, the physiopathology of reproduction and male and female gonadal function including menopause, rare endocrine-metabolic diseases.

The trainee will be able to compete for the diploma after completing the professionalizing activities.