Pituitary Clinic:

 

-Goals and Objectives:

To learn the skills related to history taking, examination, assessment and plan for the acute management of ambulatory patients with symptoms suggestive of a midline tumor that might involve the pituitary gland, or the management of the patient with complicated pituitary pathology. Subspecialty residents are familiarized with the diagnosis and management of the following hypothalamic and pituitary tumors:

1)       Prolactinoma

2)       Alpha subunit secreting pituitary tumors

3)       Acromegaly

4)       Cushing’s disease

5)       Gonadotropin-secreting pituitary tumors

6)       Thyrotropin producing pituitary tumors

7)       Nonfunctioning tumors

8)       Metabolically active lesions

9)       Craniopharyngioma

                   

-Teaching Methodology:

This also a multidisciplinary clinic where patients are seen by both endocrine and neurosurgery faculty attendings.  Patient-based mentored assessment of historical findings, examination of therapeutic plan is performed.  Each patient is seen by both the endocrine and neurosurgical attending.  MRIs or CT scans for the patients with pituitary abnormalities are reviewed.  Pragmatic and theoretical issues along diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are discussed.

 

-Method of Evaluation:

All subspecialty residents are evaluated at least biannually.  In addition endocrinology and internal medicine residents evaluate full time faculty and the clinic as an educational experience biannually.