Endocrinology Fellowship

The fellow will spend 12 months during the fellowship as the "on-service fellow." They are on service six months in year one, four months in year two, and two months in year three.

There are three service rotations:

• Endocrine service – fellows do inpatient endocrine consultation and follow inpatient primary endocrine patients
• Diabetes services – fellow does inpatient diabetes consultations and follows inpatient primary diabetes patients
• Outpatient service – fellow sees urgent new diabetes and endocrine patients in clinic.

Each fellow will spend about 50% of their service time on Endocrine service, and the other 50% divided equally between Diabetes and Outpatient services, all under the supervision of an service faculty.

When off service, fellows will attend two clinics per week including their own continuity clinic. The continuity clinic will carry on through all 3 years of fellowship and will be staffed by a dedicated attending physician. Incorporated in teaching clinic schedule are our multidisciplinary clinics including comprehensive CAH and hyperandrogenism clinic, Turner syndrome clinic, EMPOWER weight management clinic, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes clinics, rare bone disorder clinic, neuro-oncology Clinic, PCOS clinic, and thyroid nodule clinic. In addition, fellows have the opportunity to do rotations in other CHLA divisions, including but not limited to Lipid clinic (Cardiology), Transgender clinic (Adolescent Medicine) and Genetics clinic.

Fellows cover the service on weeknights and weekends all 3 years, in equal rotation with one another, resulting in being "on call" one in every six or seven nights and weekends. Call is primarily from home, though weekend call involves morning inpatient rounds, and fellows are expected to be available to come into the hospital for very rare emergencies.

Fellows engage in research throughout their training (for a total of 22 months while "off service"). In their first year, fellows will choose their research project and mentors, in coordination with the fellowship director. They will lay the groundwork for their project(s), and choose their Scholarship Oversight Committee, which will monitor their scholarly progress throughout their fellowship. During the second and third years, fellows will focus primarily on their research project(s). Clinical research projects are expected to be hypothesis-driven and rigorously performed. Bench research should involve a discrete project in which the fellow does the majority of the hands-on work. Both types of research should lead to one or more first-authored publications for the fellow. Fellows are encouraged to attend and present their research at institutional, local, and national scientific meetings, and the division provides clinical coverage and financial support for these activities. Fellows are required to apply for at least one grant during their fellowship.

Endocrinology fellows have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of clinical and laboratory-based research projects. Fellows develop their own projects, building on one of a number of ongoing projects within the division, or with one of collaborators in other divisions at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles or in the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

Below is a list of recent fellow research projects at CHLA:

Endocrinology Research

• Metabolic and surgical outcomes in x-linked hypophosphatemic rickets
• Use of thyroid scintigraphy as part of the diagnostic process in congenital hypothyroidism
• RANK ligand assay: A novel approach to patients with metabolic bone disease
• Longitudinal assessment of adrenomedullary function from infancy through early childhood
• Evaluation of abdominal obesity and carotid initmal medial thickness in youth with CAH
• The role of lymphocytes in the accumulation and activation of adipose tissue macrophages
• Effect of GnRH agonists on height in transgender patients
• Pubertal disorders in patients with optic nerve hypoplasia
• Endocrinopathies and vision outcomes in patients with optic nerve hypoplasia

Diabetes and Obesity Research

• Gender Diversity and Eating Behaviors in Adolescents and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes
• Impact of Anti-Obesity Medications on Glycemic Profiles Captured on CGM
• Time limited eating in new-onset Type 1 diabetes: feasibility, acceptability, and effect on beta-cell function
• CGM Use in Adolescent Time Limited Eating Pilot Study
• The influence of non-nutritive sweeteners on metabolic outcomes in Type 1 diabetes mellitus
• Diabetes telehealth care beyond high school
• Barriers to Technology Use in Type 1 Diabetes
• Food choices in youth with type 1 diabetes
• Retrospective continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system use in type 1 diabetes patients transitioning to pump therapy
• Food choice behavior in youth
• The use of CGM in poorly controlled type 1 diabetes patients on multiple daily injections

2022

Guiffre D, Brien E, Shon W, Geffner ME. A Rare Case of Diffuse-type Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor in a Teenager With Noonan Syndrome. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2022 Mar 1;44(2):e557-e560.

Naguib MN, Hegedus E, Raymond JK, Goran MI, Salvy SJ, Wee CP, Durazo-Arvizu R, Moss L, Vidmar AP. Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Adolescents With Obesity: Monitoring of Glucose Profiles, Glycemic Excursions, and Adherence to Time Restricted Eating Programs. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Feb 25;13:841838.

Weber J, Tanawattanacharoen VK, Seagroves A, Liang MC, Koppin CM, Ross HM, Bachega TASS, Geffner ME, Serrano-Gonzalez M, Bhullar G, Kim MS. Low Adrenomedullary Function Predicts Acute Illness in Infants With Classical Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Jan 1;107(1):e264-e271.

2021

Marpuri I, Ra E, Naguib MN, Vidmar AP. Weight management in youth with rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysregulation, hypoventilation, autonomic dysregulation, and neural crest tumor (ROHHAD-NET): literature search and case report. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2021 Dec 23;35(4):543-548.

Vidmar AP, Naguib M, Raymond JK, Salvy SJ, Hegedus E, Wee CP, Goran MI. Time-Limited Eating and Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Adolescents with Obesity: A Pilot Study. Nutrients. 13(11):3697, 2021. PMID: 34835953.

Hegedus E, Salvy SJ, Wee CP, Naguib M, Raymond JK, Fox DS, Vidmar AP. Use of continuous glucose monitoring in obesity research: A scoping review. Obes Res Clin Pract. 15(5):431-438, 2021. PMID: 34481746.

Goldman VE, Naguib MN, Vidmar AP. Anti-Obesity Medication Use in Children and Adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome: Case Review and Literature Search. J Clin Med. 2021 Sep 30;10(19):4540.

Seagroves A, Ross HM, Vidmar AP, Geffner ME, Kim WS, Hwang D, Borzutzky C, Fraga NR, Kim MS. Weight Loss during Topiramate Treatment in a Severely Obese Adolescent with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Migraine. J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2021 Aug 23. Online ahead of print.

Tsai D, Flores Garcia J, Fogel JL, Wee CP, Reid MW, Raymond JK. Diabetes Technology Experiences Among Latinx and Non-Latinx Youth with Type 1 Diabetes.  J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2021 Jul 5. Online ahead of print.

Shum B, Georgia S. The Effects of Non-Nutritive Sweetener Consumption in the Pediatric Populations: What We Know, What We Don't, and What We Need to Learn.  Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 Apr 1;12:625415.

Serrano-Gonzalez M, Herting MM, Lim SL, Sullivan NJ, Kim R, Espinoza J, Koppin CM, Javier JR, Kim MSǂ, Luo Sǂǂ. Developmental Changes in Food Perception and Preference. Front Psychol. 2021 12:654200.

Chan GC, Guiffre D, Kim MS, Garingo A. Hyponatremia, Metabolic Acidosis, and Abnormal Newborn Screen in a Preterm Neonate. Neoreviews. 2021 Nov;22(11):e767-e769.

2020

Naguib MN, Raymond JK, Vidmar AP. New onset diabetes with diabetic ketoacidosis in a child with multisystem inflammatory syndrome due to COVID-19. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2020 Nov 12;34(1):147-150.

Vidmar AP, Goran MI, Naguib M, Fink C, Wee CP, Hegedus E, Lopez K, Gonzalez J, Raymond JK. Time limited eating in adolescents with obesity (time LEAd): Study protocol. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020 Aug;95:106082.

Kim MSǂ, Luo Sǂ, Campbell C, Azad A, Felix K, Cabeen R, Belcher B, Kim R, Serrano-Gonzalez M, Herting MM. Prefrontal and amygdala brain morphology are associated with dietary decision-making in children and adolescents.  Front Hum Neurosci. 2020 Dec 3;14:563415.

Nave G, Koppin CM, Manfredi D, Richards G, Watson S, Geffner ME, Yong JE, Kim R, Ross HM, Serrano-Gonzalez M, Kim MS. No Difference in 2D:4D between Youth with Prenatal Androgen Exposure due to Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Controls. Horm Behav. 2020 Dec 9;128:104908.

2019

Akhtar Ali S, Mathalikunnel A, Bhardwaj V, Braskett M, Pitukcheewanont P. Nutritional hypophosphatemic rickts secondary to neocate use. Osteoporos Int. 2019 Sep; 30(9): 1887-1891

Akhtar Ali S, Kang H, Olney R, Ramos-Platt L, Ryabets-Lienhard A, Cheung C, Georgia S, Pitukcheewanont P. Evaluating RANKL and OPG levels in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Osteoporos Int. 2019 Nov;30(11):2283-2288.

Akhtar Ali S, Kang H, Olney R, Ramos-Platt L, Ryabets-Lienhard A, Georgia S, Pitukcheewanont P. Quantifying RANKL and OPG levels in healthy children: A large cross-sectional analysis. Bone. 2019 Oct;127:215-219.

Vidmar AP, Fink C, Torres B, Manzanarez B, Mittelman SD, Wee CP, Borzutzky C. Energy Management for Personalized Weight Reduction (EMPOWER) Program: Three-Year Outcome Data. Adv Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019;2(1):47-54. Epub 2019 Mar 10.

Vidmar AP, Pretlow R, Borzutzky C, Wee CP, Fox DS, Fink C, Mittleman SD.  An Addiction Model-Based Mobile Health Weight Loss Intervention in Adolescents With Obesity. Pediatr Obes. 2019; 14(2):e12464.

Vidmar AP, Salvy SJ, Pretlow R, Mittelman SD, Wee CP, Fink C, Fox DS, Raymond JK. And Addiction-Based Mobile Health Weight Loss Intervention: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Contemp Clin Trials. 2019;78:11-19

Bakhach M, Reid MW, Pyatak EA, Berget C, Cain C, Thomas JF, Klingensmith GJ, Raymond JK.  Home Telemedicine (CoYoT1 Clinic): A Novel Approach to Improve Psychosocial Outcomes in Young Adults with Diabetes. Diabetes Educ. 2019:45(4):420-430.

2018

Vidmar AP, Weber JF, Monzavi R, Koppin CM, Kim MS. Improved medical-alert ID ownership and utilization in youth with congenital adrenal hyperplasia following a parent educational intervention.  J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2018;31:213-219.

Akhtar Ali S; Ng, C; Votava-Smith, J; Randolph, LM; Pitukcheewanonot, P. “Bisphosphonate Therapy in an Infant with Generalized Arterial Calcification with an ABCC6 Mutation.” Accepted to Osteoporosis International

2017

Ferris JA, Geffner ME. Are aromatase inhibitors in boys with predicted short stature and/or rapidly advancing bone age effective and safe? J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2017; 30:311-317.

Vidmar AP, Miyazaki B, Sanchez-Lara PA, Pitukcheewanont P. X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets, del(2)(q37.1;q37.3) deletion syndrome and mosaic Turner syndrome, mos 45,X/46,X, del(2)(q37.1;q37.3) in a 3-year-old female. J Bone Metab 2017;24:257-261.

Wongsaengsak S, Vidmar AP, Addala A, Kamil ES, Sequeira P, Fass B, Pitukcheewanont P. A novel SLC12A1 gene mutation associated with hyperparathyroidism, hypercalcemia, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, and nephrocalcinosis in four patients. Bone. 2017;97:121-125.

Salehi P, Hsu I, Azen CG, Mittelman SD, Geffner ME, Jeandron D. Effects of exenatide on weight and appetite in overweight adolescents and young adults with Prader-Willi syndrome. Pediatr Obes. 2017;12:221-228.

2016

Serrano-Gonzalez M, Shay S, Austin J, Maceri D, Pitukcheewanont P. A germ-line mutation of CDC73/HRPT2 (70 G>T) in an adolescent female with parathyroid carcinoma: first case report and review of the literature. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2016;29:1005-1012.

Ryabets-Lienhard A, Stewart C, Borchert M, Geffner ME. The optic nerve hypoplasia spectrum: review of the literature and clinical guidelines. Adv Pediatr. 2016 Aug;63:127-146.

Stewart C, Garcia-Filion P, Fink C, Ryabets-Lienhard A, Geffner ME, Borchert M. Efficacy of growth hormone replacement on anthropometric outcomes, obesity, and lipids in children with optic nerve hypoplasia and growth hormone deficiency. Int J Pediatr Endocrinol. 2016;2016:5.

Kim MS1, Dao-Tran A, Davidowitz E, Tseng T, Gilsanz V, Ryabets-Lienhard A, Nguyen E, Geffner ME. Carotid intima-media thickness is associated with increased androgens in adolescents and young adults with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia Horm Res Paediatr. 2016;85:242-249.

Shih EM, Mittelman S, Pitukcheewanont P, Azen CG, Monzavi R. Effects of vitamin D repletion on glycemic control and inflammatory cytokines in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Pediatr Diabetes. 2016;17:36-43.

Olney RC, Salehi P, Prickett TC, Lima JJ, Espiner EA, Sikes KM, Geffner ME. Dynamic response of C-type natriuretic peptide and its aminoterminal propeptide (NTproCNP) to growth hormone treatment in children with short stature. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2016; 2016;85:561-568.

2015

Lin MH, Numbenjapon N, Germain-Lee EL, Pitukcheewanont P. Progressive osseous heteroplasia, as an isolated entity or overlapping with Albright hereditary osteodystrophy. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2015;28:911-918.

Kim MS, Ryabets-Lienhard A, Dao-Tran A, Mittelman SD, Gilsanz V, Schrager SM, Geffner ME. Increased abdominal adiposity in adolescents and young adults With classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-Hydroxylase deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015;100:E1153-1159.

Lin MH, Wood JR, Mittelman SD, Freyer DR. Institutional adherence to cardiovascular risk factor screening guidelines for young survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2015;37:e253-257.

2014

Shih EM, Mittelman S, Pitukcheewanont P, Azen CG, Monzavi R. Effects of vitamin D repletion on glycemic control and inflammatory cytokines in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Pediatr Diabetes 2016:36-43.

Shih EM, Graham JM Jr. Review of genetic and environmental factors leading to hypospadias.Eur J Med Genet. 2014;5):453-463.

Ryabets-Lienhard A, Kim MS, Bali B, Lane CJ, Park AH, Hall S, Geffner ME. Decreased adrenomedullary function in infants with classical adrenal hyperplasia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1597-1601.

2013

Lin MH, Connor CG, Ruedy KJ, Beck RW, Kollman C, Buckingham B, Redondo MJ, Schatz D, Haro H, Lee JM, Tamborlane WV, Wood JR, For The Pediatric Diabetes Consortium. Race, socioeconomic status, and treatment center are associated with insulin pump therapy in youth in the first year following diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2013;5)929-934

Huang K, Malloy P, Feldman D, Pitukcheewanont P. Enteral calcium infusion used successfully as treatment for a patient with hereditary vitamin d resistant rickets (HVDRR) without Alopecia: A novel mutation gene. Gene. 2013;512:554-559.

Salehi P, Koh CJ, Pitukcheewanont P, Trinh L, Daniels M, Geffner M. Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome: 8 new cases in Southern California and a review of the literature. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev. 2012;10:227-233.

2012

Kim MS, Ryabets-Lienhard A, Geffner ME. Management of congenital adrenal hyperplasia in childhood. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2012;19:483-488.

Lin MH, Pitukcheewanont P. Mucolipidosis type II (I-cell disease) masquerading as rickets: two case reports and review of literature. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2012;25:191-195.

Lin MH, Pitukcheewanont, P. Sertoli cell tumor and intratubular germ cell neoplasia located in separate gonads in an adolescent patient with complete androgen  insensitivity: A case report and review of literature. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2012;25:547-551.

Lin MH, Punyasavatsut N, Pitukcheewanont P. Bone health in children and adolescents. Cur Trends Endocrinol 2012;p:29-38.

Vedin AM, Garcia-Filion P, Fink C, Borchert M, Geffner ME. Serum prolactin concentrations in relation to hypopituitarism and obesity in children with optic nerve hypoplasia. Horm Res Paediatr. 2012;77:277-280.

Fink C, Vedin AM, Garcia-Filion P, Ma NS, Geffner ME, Borchert M.  JAAPOS.  2012 ;16:418-423.

Reh CS, Olney RC, Azen C, Prickett TC, Espiner EA, Geffner ME. Plasma C-type natriuretic peptide forms and thyroid status in prepubertal children with acquired thyroid disease. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2012;76:228-235.

 

Fellows have access to a variety of educational experiences during their fellowship, including, but not limited to:

• Thursday morning divisional educational conference (invited speakers, case presentations, journal club)
• Endocrine brown bag lecture series (monthly)
• Pediatric endocrinology board review (bi-weekly)
• Research meetings with fellowship director (bi-monthly)
• Fellows’ core curriculum (covers general education, research and professionalism for all Children’s Hospital Los Angeles subspecialty fellows)
• Responsible conduct of research
• Endo-Urology, Endo-Radiology, and Endo-Genetics joint conferences
• Thyroid tumor board (quarterly)
• Clinical & Translational Research Study Design Course (8 weeks long)
• Divisional research updates
• Diabetes camp
• Pediatric grand rounds
• The Saban Research Institute chalk talks
• Patient education conference participation, e.g., the annual meeting of the MAGIC Foundation
• Access to graduate courses and masters programs at USC with tuition remission
• "Pre-tending" Week

Class of 2025

Aditi Dasgupta
Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
ACGME Residency: UCSF, San Francisco, CA

Nozomi Yamashita
Medical School: University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI
ACGME Residency: Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Rachel Zipursky
Medical School: University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
ACGME Residency: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Class of 2024

Jennifer Nguyen

Medical School: New York Medical College

Pediatrics Residency: Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Pediatric Residency Program

I was born and raised in sunny southern California. My interest in Endocrinology began while learning about organ systems in my high school biology class where I became fascinated by the intricacies of hormone physiology and the elegance of feedback mechanisms. I carried this same interest with me throughout medical school and residency where I had the opportunity to apply these scientific principles to real-life clinical situations and saw how it positively impacted the lives of patients. During these years, I developed a specific interest in caring for children with type 1 diabetes and spent three summers volunteering at Camp Conrad Chinnock where I had the chance to work with this resilient patient population and witness the incredible technologic advances being made in this field. During fellowship, I hope to continue exploring these passions while learning all that I can about Endocrinology.

Anthony Parish

Medical School: Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL

Pediatrics Residency: Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

I was born in beautiful Sonoma County in northern California and went to college in San Francisco. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 14, and I knew I wanted to be a pediatric endocrinologist ever since I decided on a career in medicine. Throughout my medical training in Chicago at Rush Medical College and then residency at LA County+USC Medical Center, I have developed my love of endocrinology and met so many amazing mentors and patients along the journey. I am so excited to be a fellow in endocrinology at Children's Hospital Los Angeles to work with the world's experts with one of the most diverse pediatric patient populations. My area of research focus will be on gender identity and disordered eating behavior in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Class of 2023

Casey Berman, MD

Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine

Pediatrics Residency: NY Presbyterian- Columbia University

I was born and raised in New Jersey, however it was during my time spent in New Orleans and NYC for my medical training that I discovered my love of Endocrinology. I developed a passion for nutrition education to help with childhood obesity, and became excited about incorporating this nutrition counseling in the care of children with diabetes as well. I have also discovered a love of taking care of type 1 diabetes patients, and find much fulfillment in the continuity of care that is established with these children. I am very excited to pursue a career in Endocrinology here in sunny California!

Ian Marpuri, MD

Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Pediatrics Residency: University of Chicago/Comer Children's Hospital

Class of 2022

Monica Naguib, MD

Medical School: George Washington University

Pediatrics Residency: Cohen Children’s Medical Center/Northwell Health

I was born and raised in Orange County, CA. While learning about the endocrine system during medical school, I developed an interest unlike I had with any prior subject. I looked forward to coming to these lectures because the mechanisms and feedback loops of the endocrine glands made sense and were well-integrated into the physiology of the entire body. I specifically remember the pediatric endocrinology lecture, and I was fascinated with how to diagnose and manage growth and pubertal abnormalities in children. Later that year, I developed a passion for fighting childhood obesity after attending a lecture at my school by Michelle Obama. Fortunately, I found that obesity and endocrinology go hand in hand. During residency I researched the outcomes of obese youth with prediabetes and hope to continue studying this population during fellowship at CHLA.