Welcome to the Department of Pediatrics Section of Diabetes and Endocrinology.
Our mission is to provide superior, family-centered pediatric diabetes and endocrine
services, incorporating the most recent medical treatments developed through
relevant research and teaching.
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In the Spotlight |
Clinical Services: Our team provides outstanding care across the state of Oklahoma and surrounding regions, to children and adolescents having any sort of endocrinologic disorder, including diabetes. We pride ourselves in our commitment to respond to the rising demands of this medical field, particularly the recent epidemics of obesity and diabetes. This commitment includes a focus not only on meeting the clinical needs of the patients, families, and referring physicians, but also a commitment to finding cures and better treatments through research into the problems responsible. Our team provides care for children and families of children with endocrinologic disorders, including thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, growth, gonad, metabolism, and disorders of sexual development. The diabetes team focuses on the education and care of children with diabetes, including type 1, type 2, Cystic Fibrosis-related, and genetic or secondary diabetes. In 2005, we opened the Weight Assessment and Risk Reduction (W.A.R.R.) clinic, to provide a high-level "specialty opinion" for community pediatricians and primary care doctors who asked us to help them deal with the burgeoning number of children and adolescents with obesity. This program not only allows us to advise and educate families struggling with this problem, but also allows us to determine which children are at risk for developing diabetes, and whether a glandular disorder is contributing to the problem.
Our clinics are located in the OU Children's Physician's Building on the OU Health Center campus, and in several satellite clinics at Mercy Hospital, and American Indian clinics in Ada (Chickasaw), Talihina (Choctaw), Little Axe (Absentee Shawnee), and Shawnee (Citizen Potawatomi).
Our entire program is an integral part of the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center (HHODC), a recent initiative of the State of Oklahoma, consisting of three components: adult and childhood diabetes care and research, both centered in Oklahoma City, and a Tulsa component.
Research: In 2009, our Section research activities were funded by more than $2,000,000 in grants and contracts, with the great majority coming from the National Institutes of Health. We are especially proud of our Section's involvement in the TODAY study, the first randomized clinical trial for diabetes treatment in children. As faculty members have joined our program, we have greatly expanded our research activities and fellowship training opportunities. Last year, our Section research effort resulted in 28 peer-reviewed publications and abstracts, as well as more than 30 professional presentations across the United States and abroad.
The Children's Hospital Foundation (CHF) Pediatric Metabolic Research Program was established in 2006, thanks to CHF, a philanthropic institution dedicated solely to the development of pediatric research programs within the OU Department of Pediatrics. Currently the program consists of five $2,000,000 Endowed Chairs for research within our section, supporting research related to diabetes in children. Two of the existing Endowed Chairs were developed in partnership with the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes, a testimony to our close working relationships with tribes and our commitment to research involving American Indian health. Dr. Steve Chernausek is the Director of the Pediatric Metabolic Research Program and Associate Section Chief of Pediatric Diabetes/Endocrinology. The Program uses state-of-the-art technology to address the metabolic abnormalities associated with diabetes and its causes. All of the methods employed by the Pediatric Metabolic Research Program have been developed specifically for research involving children, and are available in only a handful of centers world wide. The Program also acts as a fertile training ground for Fellows preparing for an academic career in Pediatric Endocrinology.
Teaching: Our section has a long track record in mentoring medical students, residents, and research trainees. Currently we are accepting applications for our Fellowship Training Program.
We hope you enjoy our website and will leave us feedback using the contact information listed below.
(405) 271-3303
Pediatric Diabetes and Endocrinology
OU Children's Physicians Clinic, Suite 4500
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Email: Department Contact
Website Administrator: Jeff Preske