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Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism

Welcome

Educational Activities of Division Members in 2007-2008

Undergraduate (Medicine)

Hertzel C. Gerstein M.D., MSc FRCPC
Dr. Hertzel Gerstein is Director of the Division of Endocrinology
& Metabolism at McMaster University. He is both Head of the
Service of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Director of the
Diabetes Care and Research Program at Hamilton Health Sciences.

• Coordination of Medical Foundations 2 (MF2) and its endocrine subunit
• Planning and leading large group sessions
• Tutoring in MF2 and Unit 5 and clinical skills preceptorships
• Advising for the McMaster University Medical Journal
• OSCE examinations
• Block and horizontal electives
• Clerkship tutoring

Postgraduate (Medicine)

• Teaching on the CTU
• Co-director McMaster University Internal Medicine Review Course
• Clinical electives in Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Monthly city-wide Endocrine/Metabolic Grand Rounds
• Monthly city-wide Endocrine/Metabolic Journal Club
• Directing the International Health Program for Internal Medicine
• Research mentorships

Postgraduate (Health Research Methodology and Other Programs)

• Postdoctoral supervisors
• Faculty advisors
• Thesis committees and chairs
• PhD comprehensive exams
• PhD exams

Other Education Including CME, and General Public Education

• Steering Committee of the 2008 CDA Clinical Practice guidelines
• Faculty for CME events for family physicians, specialists, and allied health professionals in more than 100 local, national and international forums '
• Organization of two Divisional CME events (one diabetes and one endocrinology)
• Clinical bedside Internal Medicine and Endocrinology teaching in the third world
• Quarterly publication of the Diabetes Hamilton publication “Knowing Diabetes”, and distribution to all family
• MD’s and 4000 people with diabetes
• VP, CDA South Asian Chapter
• Medical Lead for Implementation and Planning for Golden Jubilee, Aga Khan Health Board for Canada
• Editorial consultant for American College of Physicians – PIER ( Physicians Information and Education Resource) module on hypercalcemia
• Developed Doctors for Humanity – an international humanitarian organization dedicated to improving human wellbeing by providing access to advances in medicine globally
• Chairing of Certification Council, International Society of Clinical Densitometry (ISCD)

International and Local Research Programs

Collaborative research across disciplines is the key distinguishing characteristic of the division. All members of the division are directly or indirectly involved in research. Several members are pursuing an extensive program of research related to diabetes, dysglycemia, cardiovascular disease, renal disease and osteoporosis. These are done in close collaboration with the Population Health Research Institute, members of other divisions, the department of CE&B, the Centre for Evaluative Medicines, and other universities around the world. They include:

1. publication of more than 30 peer-reviewed articles or chapters in the 2007-08 academic year
2. international leadership of, and participation in, several international clinical trials testing the efficacy of various approaches to prevent cardiovascular events, erectile dysfunction, cognitive dysfunction, and retinal disease in dysglycemic individuals with diabetes or “pre-diabetes”
3. innovative approaches to treating osteoporosis and assessing bone mass
4. assessment of simple knowledge translation approaches to facilitate diabetes self-management in the community (Diabetes Hamilton and IN-CHARGE)
5. the role of dysglycemia as a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction.

Major Awards/New Achievements in 2007-08

1. Dr. Gerstein received the 2007 Charles H. Best Award from the Canadian Diabetes Association for “the significant difference made as a health professional to improving the lives of Canadians living with diabetes”.
2. Dr. Harper received the Certificate of Merit Award, Canadian Association for Medical Education in 2008.
3. Dr. Harper became CTU Director of the HGH site.
4. Dr. Punthakee was awarded a Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation Research Career Award.
5. Dr. Punthakee was awarded a CIHR grant to study glucose as a predictor of vascular events in noncardiac surgery patients cohort evaluation (GlucoVISION), as well as HSFO grant to study societal and biological determinants of obesity in young adults.
6. Dr. Prebtani has developed and submitted our proposal to establish a novel endocrine training program to the Royal College.
7. Dr. Khan was awarded a grant funded by ten international societies to do a systematic review of advances in primary hyperparathyroidism and develop international management guidelines related to its therapy.

Future Directions

1. Implementation of a postgraduate endocrine training program next year
2. Development of innovative teaching approaches for patients
3. Ongoing research assessing: a) the causes and consequences of dysglycemia and its role in cardiovascular disease, skeletal health and cognitive decline; b) the role of perioperative dysglycemia; c) abnormal adipose tissue distribution in the epicardium and elsewhere throughout the lifespan; d) bone health and calcium disorders
4. Expanding a public health database of diabetes in the Hamilton region and a diabetes public health approach in the region