New to Diabetes?

Starting your specialist training?

Here's a summary of essential information for UK trainees starting specialty training.

1) Join YDF - an organisation 'for trainees, by trainees'. You receive newsletters with important information on courses, meetings etc. All YDF courses are also virtually free of cost to attend. Click here for the registration form.

2) Join Diabetes UK, ABCD and SfE - if possible, all of them. These are our three professional organisations and invest heavily in specialist trainees. Follow the links above (under 'Join') to see what these organisations do for professional members.

3) Think about doing research at some point. Our speciality offers huge research potential and it is often hard to get a good consultant position without a higher degree. The YDF Research day gives you an overview of opportunities available.

4) Attend the YDF Foundation Course and the SfE Clinical Update in Endocrinology to give you a head start.

5) There is a fair amount of regional variation in the practice in some aspects of our speciality. Attending national conferences and courses will help you achieve a broader perspective. You'll also make useful contacts - to help with your own career and/or to improve patient care.

If there ever is one article that will get yo upto speed with the history of diabetes, present day challenges and future directions, this NEJM review has to be it!