An endocrinologist is a doctor who specializes in treating conditions related to hormones and the endocrine system.
But what exactly do endocrinologists really do? And what is the endocrine system?
What is an Endocrinologist?
An endocrinologist is a medical doctor who has special training in dealing with hormones, glands, and the endocrine system.
So, to completely answer the question what does an endocrinologist do, we will have to understand what an endocrine system is.
The endocrine system is made up of glands in your body that create hormones. Some examples of glands that are part of the endocrine system include:
- Adrenal glands
- Thyroid gland
- Pituitary gland
- Parathyroid glands
- Pineal gland
These glands release hormones into your blood. The hormones travel through your blood to different parts of your body and help control many bodily functions.
Because hormones impact so many vital processes, if you have too much or too little of a certain hormone, it can cause health problems.
And so an endocrinologist is trained to:
- Diagnose diseases related to glands and hormones
- Treat conditions that involve hormonal imbalances
- Provide care for complex endocrine system disorders
They essentially focus on internal medicine relating to the endocrine system.
Why See an Endocrinologist?
You may need to visit an endocrinologist if your primary care physician or other healthcare provider suspects you have a condition involving your glands or hormones.
For example, your doctor might refer you to an endocrinologist if blood tests show abnormal thyroid hormone levels or if you have symptoms of diabetes like increased thirst or frequent urination.
Some signs your you need to have your thyroid checked and why your doctor may recommend seeing an endocrinologist include:
- Unexplained weight gain or loss
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Sweating disorders
- Frequent headaches or migraines
- Difficulty sleeping
- Changes in skin or skin conditions like rashes
- Problems with blood pressure regulation
- Abnormal blood sugar levels
- Changes in cholesterol levels
- Infertility or sexual dysfunction
- Delayed or early puberty
- Irregular menstrual cycles
Endocrinologists have special expertise in complex conditions related to glands and hormones, like:
- Diabetes including gestational diabetes
- Thyroid diseases and thyroid cancer
- Pituitary disorders
- Adrenal disorders like Addison’s disease
- Cholesterol disorders
- Hormone conditions causing infertility
- Menopause management
- Osteoporosis or bone loss
- Obesity
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
They also frequently help treat growth issues in children relating to growth and thyroid hormones as well as early or delayed puberty.
The Role of an Endocrinologist: Duties and Responsibilities
Diagnosing Hormone and Endocrine Disorders
Endocrinologists are experts at detecting early signs of problems with your endocrine system and identifying diseases caused by too much or too little of certain hormones.
They usually:
- take a full medical history and give patients a comprehensive physical exam, checking various signs like height, weight, heart rate, blood pressure, skin condition, etc.
- order and then interpret the results of blood tests, urine tests, imaging scans, and other tests to assess hormone levels and look for problems or underlying medical conditions.
Common tests include thyroid function tests, cholesterol tests, glucose tolerance tests, and specialized endocrine function exams. - Diagnose conditions like:
- Thyroid disorders
- Diabetes
- Metabolic disorders
- Pituitary tumors
- Menopause
- Infertility
- Obesity
- Osteoporosis
Treating Endocrine Diseases
After making a diagnosis, endocrinologists create a customized treatment plan for the endocrine problem.
- They may prescribe hormone medications like thyroid medication, steroid hormones, hormone injections or antagonists.
- They can provide non-hormonal treatments like cholesterol or blood pressure medications.
- Endocrinologists tailor diet, nutrition and exercise programs to manage endocrine diseases.
- They coordinate care with other specialists like surgeons, neurologists or oncologists when needed.
- They may order regular blood work and lab testing to monitor a patient’s condition and adjust treatments accordingly.
For example, an endocrinologist oversees care for someone with:
- Diabetes, recommending medications like insulin while teaching a diabetic diet and exercise regimen
- Thyroid cancer, working alongside oncologists and surgeons on treatments like radioactive iodine therapy while managing thyroid hormone medication dosing
- Pituitary disorders, providing hormone replacement medications and supplements while monitoring growth and development
Providing Long-Term Care
Endocrinologists treat both acute and chronic endocrine system disorders and diseases. To this end:
- They provide continuing care and monitoring for chronic conditions like:
- Diabetes
- Thyroid disorders
- Pituitary tumors
- Adrenal disease
- Infertility
- Obesity
- Patients often see an endocrinologist regularly over the years for ongoing management of hormonal disorders.
- Endocrinologists typically adjust medications and treatment plans as needed while teaching patients how to best care for their condition at home.
Types of Endocrinologists
There are a few different subspecialties endocrinologists can have additional training in:
Pediatric Endocrinology
Focuses on hormonal disorders in babies, children and adolescents like:
-
- Abnormal growth issues
- Early or delayed puberty
- Thyroid problems
- Diabetes
- Intersex disorders
- Pituitary gland disorders
Reproductive Endocrinology
Specializes in hormonal conditions causing infertility like:
-
- Pituitary, ovarian and testicular disorders
- Amenorrhea or abnormal menstrual cycles
- Menopause issues
They also help couples conceive through fertility treatments like IVF
Thyroid Disorders
Focuses specifically on diagnosing and treating all types of thyroid diseases including thyroid cancer. They usually manage radioactive iodine therapy and thyroid surgeries.
Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders
They typically diagnoses and treat different types of diabetes. They also tend to manage obesity, cholesterol disorders, fatty liver disease and metabolic issues.
Neuroendocrinology
These specialists study how the endocrine system interacts with the nervous system including the brain. They usually treat complex conditions like pituitary tumors
Becoming an Endocrinologist: Education and Training
Endocrinologists undergo rigorous medical training that includes:
Medical School
- Requires 4 years of medical school after a bachelor’s degree to earn a medical degree (MD) or doctor of osteopathic medicine degree (DO)
- Coursework covers internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics & gynecology, psychiatry, surgery, radiology and endocrinology fundamentals
- Rotations expose students to various specialties
- After earning their MD or DO, graduates take licensing exams to become licensed physician
Medical Residency
- Newly graduated doctors complete 3 years of residency training in internal medicine or pediatrics
- Residents gain intensive clinical experience diagnosing and treating patients under supervision
Fellowship
- After finishing a residency, doctors pursue 2-3 more years of advanced training in an endocrinology fellowship program
- Endocrinology fellows focus entirely on caring for patients with complex hormonal disorders
- They can subspecialize and receive additional fellowship training in areas like thyroid disease, reproductive endocrinology, or pediatric endocrinology
Once their advanced endocrinology fellowship training is complete, they must pass examinations and become board-certified in the specialty.
After board certification, endocrinologists are fully qualified expert physicians specializing in hormonal conditions!
Summary
- Endocrinologists are medical doctors who focus on diagnosing and treating disorders related to your endocrine system’s glands and hormones.
- The conditions an endocrinologist might help with include diabetes, thyroid disease, pituitary tumors, adrenal disorders, menopause issues, cholesterol problems, obesity, osteoporosis, and infertility.
- Endocrinologists have special expertise to detect subtle symptoms of hormonal imbalances, run blood tests and scans to assess hormone levels, diagnose complex conditions, create tailored treatment plans involving medications, therapies or surgery, and provide continuing long-term care.
- They undergo years of medical training, 3+ years in an internal medicine or pediatrics residency, 2-3 years of fellowship study in endocrinology, and must pass intensive board exams to become highly skilled endocrine disease specialists.