At the end of this program, the candidate will be able to:

• Systematize a preventing and promoting health care approach for diabetes mellitus.
• Describe in detail the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and all its complications.
• Start a diabetic clinic on a regular basis, with the aim of closely monitoring the patients.
• Choose with sophistication the various modalities of treatment, including oral antidiabetics and insulin.
• Identify and manage the various complications of diabetes, including hypertension, cardiac, renal, neurological & feet-related complications.
• Refer appropriately to cardiac, renal or surgical centers.
• Develop a functional team to handle an integrated diabetic clinic.

Educational Qualifications

• Doctors with MD/DNB in General Medicine, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, or Geriatric Medicine.
• Doctors with an MRCGP qualification.
• Doctors with MDGP (Nepal) or FCGP from SAARC countries.
• Doctors working in Mission Hospitals with any postgraduate degree.

Preference will be given, but not limited, to candidates meeting the following criteria

• Women candidates.
• Candidates working in Government healthcare settings, Mission Hospitals, or remote rural areas.
• Candidates between 35 and 50 years of age.
• Evaluation of the "Reason for Applying" provided by the candidate in the application form.

Note

Candidates who are currently enrolled in (and have not yet completed) any other course offered by the CMC Distance Education Unit are not eligible to apply.

The selection of candidates is at the sole discretion of the Selection Committee. Any attempt by a candidate or their relatives to influence the admission process through unlawful means may result in the candidate's disqualification.

As the emphasis of the course is not only to promote integrated diabetes management but also the team concept in the management of diabetes, one of the mandatory requirements of the course is to depute a team member to be trained (and complete the training with the certificate) as a Diabetic Educator / Counsellor.

Each candidate enrolling for the course should depute either a nurse, dietician or physiotherapist to be trained as a Diabetes Educator / Counsellor.

The course for the Diabetic Educator/Counsellor is conducted by the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism three to four times a year. There is a separate fee that needs to be paid directly to the Endocrinology department. The current course fee for the diabetic educator program is Rs.13,450/- (payable directly to the Endocrinology dept. before enrolling the diabetic educator; the fee indicated is as on date and is subject to revision). This training is held for 10 days at CMC, Vellore.

Travel and accommodation charges have to be borne by the candidate deputed for the training.

Self-learning modules, video lectures, and contact programs at CMC Vellore are all incorporated into the curriculum. For more details, refer to the Admission Bulletin.

Self-Learning Modules

The course content has self-learning modules presented in four volumes, with six to seven modules in each volume. These are written in a simple and interesting self-learning format, with self-assessments to encourage the readers.

Video Lectures

A series of 19 videos complements the written material.

Contact Programs (CP)

Contact Programs are a vital component of the course. In an academic year there are two contact programs, and the candidate is required to participate in both for completion of the course.

Contact program 1: This involves classroom teaching on the various aspects of diabetes and its management, and practical exposure to the various aspects of integrated diabetes care. This program is conducted 3–4 times a year, in batches of 15 to 20 students. You could choose to attend any one of these sessions.

Contact program 2: This is a clinical contact program to further strengthen hands-on training in the various aspects of diabetes management, involving more intense exposure to outpatient diabetes management, evolving management plans for diabetic patients, patient workup and presentation, fundus examination, management of patients in a foot care clinic, and observing and assisting with other relevant procedures. This program is conducted around the year, in batches of 2 to 3 students per week, for a duration of three days.

Efforts will be made to accommodate the preferred week of the candidate, but this cannot be assured.

Candidates are expected to arrange their own travel, food and accommodation during the contact programs. Daily sessions run from 8 AM to 6 PM, covering all practical aspects of diabetes care. Postings comprise OPD (3 days), covering: Foot clinic (2 hours), Ophthalmology clinic (2 hours), Diet clinic (1 hour), Ward rounds (2 hours), Journal meeting (1 hour), and more.

The course assessment is done in two parts: Summative assessment and Formative assessment.

Formative Assessment — this includes the following components

• Internal Assessments during Contact Programs.
• Logbooks to record reflections on the day's learning and how this will impact future clinical practice.
• Assignments to be completed and submitted at the end of each module, carefully designed to assess the candidates' ability to integrate skills, attitudes and values with theoretical knowledge.
• Project work: to provide an opportunity for the candidate to apply the knowledge, methods and insights developed through coursework and professional experience to make relevant changes in clinical practice and the management of diabetes, or to analyse a significant problem or issue in the field of diabetes management. The teaching faculty will provide input towards the project.
• A requirement for 100% attendance at both Contact Sessions, where participatory learning takes place through a range of teaching methods focused on exploring the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to deliver high-quality integrated diabetes care.

Summative Assessment

Exit examination (theory) at the end of the course — assesses knowledge and its application in clinical practice, and theoretical aspects of practical skills. The theory paper comprises objective-type questions as well as visual examination of clinical pictures, assessing all the broad areas of diabetes management. The outgoing theory examination conducted at the end of the academic year for the batch is considered the "First Attempt" for the candidate. If the candidate is unable to appear, or does not pass the exam on the first attempt, all subsequent attempts are treated as supplementary; there is a fee of Rs.1,000 for every supplementary examination attempt.

• A minimum score of 50% in each of the following components: Final Theory Examination, Internal Assessments, Assignments (online submission), and Project work.
• Deputing a Diabetic Educator (applicable only for doctors residing in India).
• 100% attendance in both contact programs.

Last updated 09.01.2025 — visit the Distance Education site for the exact fee structure.

Please note that the course fee or application fee cannot be refunded or transferred to another course.

Last updated 09.01.2026 — visit the Distance Education site for the exact fee structure.