Endocrinology - Career Opportunities and Scope

The job of a Diabetologist demands responsibility, sincerity, self-confidence and distinct skills and only by perfecting and honing those skills in everyday work, one can establish oneself as a successful Diabetologist.

Endocrinology and Endocrinologist

Endocrinology is a branch of medicine that deals with the endocrine system of the human beings. The endocrine system consists of several glands that secrete the hormone. These hormones consist of growth hormone, thyroid hormone and insulin. The secretion of these hormones helps the body to coordinate the functions of metabolism, and cell growth. If any of these endocrine glands starts malfunctioning, the secretion of the hormone from these glands gets upset which ultimately gives rise to some chronic diseases like diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypertension, infertility, obesity and cancer of the endocrine glands. Endocrinologist or Diabetologist is a physician who attends and treats these chronic diseases in the human body.

Skills required to be a successful Endocrinologist or Diabetologist

In-depth theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the field are the foremost factors to work successfully as an Endocrinologist or Diabetologist. The job of a Diabetologist demands responsibility, sincerity, self-confidence and distinct skills and only by perfecting and honing those skills in everyday work, one can establish oneself as a successful Diabetologist. The vital skills required to be a successful Diabetologist are listed below:

Observation Skill	Ability to observe a case carefully
Diagnosis Skill	Ability to detect the root cause of the disease depending on observation result
Interpreting and understanding the pathological tests	Must possess knowledge of interpreting and understanding various pathological tests
Use of Modern Treatment techniques	Must be acquainted with the modern treatment techniques and medical innovations
Clinical Skill	Must have a clinical eye to observe the symptoms of a disease and reaction of medicine upon the patients
Knowledge of modern treatment techniques	Must be acquainted with the modern treatment techniques and medical innovations
Perseverance and Endurance	Possess immense patience to listen and devote hours to the patients
Communication Skill	Ability to develop a rapport with the patients and build their faith and trust

Eligibility Criteria to be a Diabetologist

Endocrinology is a specialized professional course and thereby requires years of study and rigorous training for hours. There are two types of specialised courses to pursue Endocrinology, listed below:

MD in Endocrinology	2 years
DM in Endocrinology	3 years

To pursue 2 years’ MD in Endocrinology, the candidates are required to complete MBBS with Internship from a recognised university. Again, to pursue DM in Endocrinology, the aspirants must complete MBBS with internship and MD in Medicine from a recognised university in India. To secure a berth in any of the Medical Colleges in India they need to sit for the national level entrance test NEET PG. Some medical colleges like AIIMS, JIPMER conduct their own admission test. So to get admission in these colleges, the candidates would require to appear AIIMS PG and JIPMER PG respectively. The examinations can be given either online or offline mode. The examinations are usually held on a specific date from December to June.

Endocrinology Course Structure and Fees

MD in Endocrinology course is structured to impart theoretical knowledge on the endocrine system of the body and on the diseases that may spurt from the malfunctioning of the system. The candidates receive hands-on training on etiology, patho-physiology, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of the disorders of the important glands of the endocrine system. They are also taught of the patient care, clinical care and timely medication. Here we have listed the subjects, taught during the course in a tabular form:

Diabetes Mellitus	Thyroid
Neuro-endocrinology and Pituitary Disease	Growth and Maturation
Adrenal Gland and Adrenal Hormones	Reproductive Endocrinology
Parathyroid gland, Calcitrophic Hormone, bone metabolism	Obesity
Endocrinology of pregnancy	Endocrine tumour syndromes
Endocrine syndromes in critically ill patients	Cardiovascular endocrinology
Immunology and Endocrinology	Clinical epidemiology relevant to endocrinology
Medical disorders caused by the endocrine system and management of those disorders	Relevant theoretical aspects of surgical endocrine procedures
Relevant radiological and medical aspects	Basic Science
Hormone assay procedures	Record Keeping
Taking the help of computer in dealing with endocrine disorders	Clinical, laboratory and basic research including statistical methods.
Medical Nutrition therapy Extramural training rotations	Medical Audit

The course fee of MD in Endocrinology varies from college to college. Generally, the students have to pay Rs. 10,000- 20,000 in the Government Medical Colleges while in private medical colleges it may be from Rs. 1.6 lakhs to 15 lakhs.

Job and Career Prospect of an Endocrinologist

There are ample job opportunities for endocrinologist or Diabetologist. These doctors are always in demand since most people around the globe are suffering from diabetes, thyroid diseases, infertility, hypertension, obesity etc. After the completion of the course, they may take up a job in government hospitals. They may also join private hospitals and nursing homes. They may work in private clinics, health centres, and work for raising awareness about the ‘life style disorder diseases’. Over the years a Diabetologist gains experience and he may then start a private practice and set up his own clinic. Besides, those who take an interest in teaching may join medical colleges as professor and act as thesis guides to the future endocrinologists. Here is a list of the fields where a Diabetologist can work:

Government Hospital	Private hospital and Nursing Homes
Clinics and Health Centres	NGOs
Medical Colleges	Own Clinic

Salary Drawn by an Endocrinologist

After years of hard toil, relentless efforts and maintaining a rigorous schedule, an Endocrinologist starts reaping benefits when he begins to practice. No doubt, his earning depends upon his experience, dedication and devotion to the job. But his pay package is always lucrative. To get a job in Government hospitals and health centres he may appear Combined Medical Service (CMS) examination, conducted by UPSC. In Government hospitals, the pay- the scale of a doctor is decided by the Health Department. As a medical officer in Government hospitals, he may draw a salary of Rs. 4.5 lakhs per annum initially. His income increases as he accumulates experiences over the years. While determining the salary of an Endocrinologist, the recruiters consider his years of experience, academic qualification, service records etc. He earns more when he practices privately, setting up his own clinic. Here we are providing an idea about the salary of an endocrinologist in the form of a table:

Job Description	Average salary per annum
Junior Consultant	Rs. 4.5 -5 lakhs
Senior Consultant	Rs. 8-9 lakhs

Pros and Cons of being an Endocrinologist

Pros: The job of an endocrinologist is very rewarding. It promises excellent growth. The endocrinologist enjoys enough freedom to work. His job is also self-gratifying and gives extreme pleasure to the doctor to observe a smile on the face of his patients.

Cons: The job of a Diabetologist is also stressful. He has to work for longer hours.

A Diabetologist also can work as a doctor of general medicine and earn money and reputation.