What Does An Endocrinologist Do?

Most people will never need the services of an endocrinologist. For those that do, these specialists are essential in determining both the root cause of the condition as well as working on a comprehensive treatment plan. Patients who will be referred to these highly trained medical professionals will have some type of imbalance or malfunction of the hormone producing glands in the body. These glands, which form a complex network of controls and checks in hormone production, are collectively known as the endocrine system. Since the system functions based on a balance, when one hormone or gland is out of balance the entire system can be negatively affected.

The endocrine system in the human body regulates virtually all body functions. The regulation of each hormone and gland is all part of the role of the control function of the endocrine system. Everything from reproduction to sugar breakdown and absorption in the body is controlled by hormonal levels. Stress, anxiety, metabolic rates, waste elimination from the cells, growth and energy levels in the body are all controlled and regulated by hormones. These hormones are produced in the glands of the endocrine system which include the ovaries in females, testes in males, the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, hypothalamus and the pituitary gland.

Typically an endocrinologist will get involved in treatment after a referral from a family doctor or a generalist. In most cases the referral comes when traditional treatment for health problems associated with the endocrine system are ineffective or the wide range of various symptoms indicates an endocrine system disease or imbalance. The specialists may work with patients that are not responding to traditional types of treatment for diabetes, menopause, cholesterol disorders, infertility problems, lack of growth in children or with thyroid and metabolic diseases. In cases where a transgendered individual wishes to have hormonal treatments, this type of doctor is generally an essential part of the medical team.

Depending on the condition that leads to the referral the role of this type of doctor can vary. In some situations the specialist works with the entire medical treatment team to bring the hormonal levels back into balance while the rest of the medical team works on other areas of concern. This is common in cancers, diabetes, infertility treatments and health conditions such as osteoporosis and hypertension. As part of the treatment team the endocrinologist monitors and assesses hormonal levels and endocrine function to bring the systems back into the correct balance. Blood tests, combinations of medications, hormonal replacement therapies and even carefully controlling diet, exercise and lifestyle choices can all be part of the treatment plan developed by the specialist.

Typically these specialized medical professionals spend about 10 years to become certified specialists in this very demanding field. All will have an undergraduate degree, a four year medical degree and then a three or four year internship or residency program. Each program will allow the student to specialize in an area of interest while also ensuring that they work with a variety of types of patients and endocrine related conditions. Two to three more years of intensive training then follows specifically on diagnosis and treatment of endocrine conditions. In most cases the doctor works in a specialized medical practice or consults through a hospital.

The very specialized role of an endocrinologist means that these professionals are always in high demand. With their in depth training they are often able to develop extremely comprehensive short and long-term treatment plans that can be monitored and regulated by a family physician or treatment team.