Global Diabetes Foot Training Programme

The Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at Christian Medical College Vellore is inviting applications for the upcoming Phase 1 Online Foundational Training of the Global Diabetes Foot Training Programme. The training will take place on 24th and 31st July, and 7th and 14th August 2026. The live sessions will be held online on Fridays, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The Online Team Assessment will take place on 21st August 2026. There will be a mandatory pre-training mock session/trial run on 22nd July 2026.

Criteria for Participation in the Phase 1 Online Foundational Training

• Participation as a team is compulsory. Each team should include one Doctor AND one Nurse/Physiotherapist/P&O personnel, from the same hospital/institution.
• There can be more than 1 team from each hospital/institution.
• The training is offered at a considerably subsidized fee of Rs. 7,080/- (including GST), thanks to the generous support of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Due to a limited availability of slots for participation, registration will be on a first come, first served basis. Interested participants can send their team details (for both team members: Name, Designation, Department, Name of the Institution where you are currently working, Professional background, Academic background & Contact details) to the Course Manager. Kindly do so on or before 29th June, 2026. vellorecmcglobaldiabetesfoot@gmail.com

Overview

Management of the foot in diabetes is an oft-neglected condition, the world over. The nexus of synchronous factors — infection, ischaemia, glycaemic control, neuropathy, bony deformities, ulceration, issues of gait and footwear — make it one of medical science's most challenging disorders. In particular, the presence of ulceration and the process of healing requires special attention. If neglected, the condition could rapidly deteriorate and lead to amputation. In spite of recovery and rehabilitation, the risk of subsequent morbidity and mortality is high following amputation.

The Christian Medical College at Vellore has 7 decades of experience in the medical management of the diabetic foot. Stemming from the legacy of Dr. Paul Brand, rooted in the treatment of leprosy since the 1940s, this knowledge has been progressively transcribed to the management of the foot in diabetes. Timely and thorough treatment of foot ulcers and neuropathy, combined with the principles of offloading and appropriate footwear/prosthesis, can make a life-changing difference to the prognosis. The integrated management of the foot in diabetes involves the collaborative capacity of doctors along with nurses and paramedics. Worldwide, the weakest link in this holistic chain of care is the dearth of hospital-associated technical units to manufacture customized footwear and prosthesis.

Our Mission

The Global Diabetes Foot Training Programme is organised by the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism and the Distance Education Unit at Christian Medical College Vellore, India, in collaboration with Vascular Surgery, General Surgery-1, Plastic Surgery, Anatomy, Neurology, Radiology, Prosthetics & Orthotics Services and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Our aim is to improve global footcare and footwear by training, guiding and supporting the creation of multidisciplinary teams equipped to effectively manage the treatment of the diabetic foot. Each team of healthcare professionals works in tandem with technical support staff skilled in the manufacture of customised footwear.

Objectives

The Global Diabetes Foot Training Program is conducted in the following phases:

Phase 1: Online Preliminary Training Phase

Foundational online training for teams of Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapists and P&O personnel on the judicious management of the diabetic foot and utilization of footwear. The course is hosted on the CMC Endo training portal; participants will receive unique login credentials to access the same. The training sessions will be conducted online, via Zoom, by experts in the respective areas (2 hours a week for 4 weeks).

The Curriculum Includes

• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Pre-ulcer state
• Peripheral Vascular Disease
• Osteomyelitis of Foot
• Charcot Foot
• Medical Offloading
• Necrotising fasciitis & common surgeries of the diabetic foot
• A detailed pre-test and post-test evaluation each week
• Online Team Assessment after 4 weeks of training

At the end of the course, participants will have acquired the basic skills in preventive and therapeutic aspects of handling the diabetic foot, through an integrated team approach.

The Online Team Assessment

The Online team assessment serves as a mandated gateway leading up to the in-person, intermediate level training in Diabetes Foot Care (Phase 2A). Only teams that have attended all the online training sessions and completed the compulsory programme tasks — attendance registration, pre-test, post-test & feedback submission — will be eligible for the Online Team Assessment. The objective is to ascertain the capacity of each team based on performance.

The Course Material

The course material includes online presentations and videos, plus a copy of the book "Diabetic Foot: A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians" by Dr. Felix Jebasingh K. and Dr. Nihal Thomas (First Edition, 2023; Publisher: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers).

Phase 1 Completion

Both team members must secure 100% attendance of all 8 hours of the course, successful completion of all compulsory programme tasks (attendance registration, pre-test, post-test, and feedback submission), and pass marks (50%) as an aggregate of all the post-tests conducted — after which the 2-member team must achieve pass marks (50%) in the Final Online Team Assessment. These are the requirements to complete Phase 1: Online Foundational Training, and attain the Foundational Certificate in Diabetes Foot Care (both team members receive the certificate).

No Compensatory Sessions Policy

Phase 2a: In-Person Hands-On Training Phase

Intermediate to advanced level training in management of the diabetic foot, for 2-member teams.

To qualify for this phase, teams/participants will need to acquire the Foundational Certificate in Diabetes Foot Care through Phase 1 of this training programme. Attendance is on a team basis (one Doctor AND one Nurse/Physiotherapist/P&O personnel per centre). Participants will have to organize their own travel and stay in Vellore; however, the entire training programme will be subsidized (Course Fee).

The course is a hands-on programme with patients, and parallel education on some theoretical concepts, along with online modules, assignments and project work. Sessions are conducted by faculty from the departments of Endocrinology, Vascular Surgery, General Surgery-1, Plastic Surgery, Anatomy, Neurology, Radiology, Prosthetics & Orthotics and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. The programme runs for 4 full days from Tuesday to Friday, and involves experience in the diabetes foot clinic and vascular laboratory. There will be a theoretical and a practical evaluation at the end of the programme.

Apart from attending the in-person training, the online modules, assignments, project work and final exam are compulsory programme tasks that must be completed. Participants who have successfully completed all mandated programme tasks will be presented with the Completion Certificate in Diabetes Foot Care at the Programme Graduation ceremony, to be held in Vellore. Details regarding the Convocation (date, eligibility, convocation fee, etc.) will be shared in due course.

Participant performance across the board will be evaluated, and the top 3 teams will be recognised at the Programme Graduation ceremony. The team(s) with the best project will also be felicitated.

Certification

Completion Certificate in Diabetes Foot Care.

Phase 2b: Continuing In-Team Education by the Vellore Staff in the Targeted Participating Centres

Two-day workshops and continuing medical education with practical demonstrations will be conducted by the team from CMC, Vellore at peripheral centres across the country. Centres will be identified as potential training partners with CMC, Vellore in the professional management of the diabetes foot. These centres will subsequently serve as trainers/training hubs, to impart knowledge and skills in the management of diabetes to other health care professionals.

Phase 3a: In-Person Training of Prosthetic & Orthotic Personnel

The focus is on rigorously training prosthetic & orthotic personnel, technicians and shoemakers to work with health care providers in improving the management of the foot in diabetes. It is a capacity-building exercise, and they will receive extensive technical guidance and support on the nuances of diligently crafting custom footwear and devices.

Phase 3b: Setting Up Manufacturing Units to Produce and Distribute Custom Footwear and Prosthetics in Targeted Participating Centres

This is, in a sense, the most unique and vital part of the programme. The prosthetic and orthotic centres in CMC Vellore will develop a blueprint to enable the manufacture and provision of footwear and prosthesis. This is to be achieved by nurturing the capacity of existing prosthetic and orthotic centres, and collaborating with the nearest purveyor of key raw materials (MCR, EVA, etc.), in order to streamline the supply chain.