Internal Medicine: Diabetes, Nutrition, Metabolic Diseases, and Systemic Rheumatology

The University Clinic of Diabetes, Nutrition, Metabolic Diseases, and Systemic Rheumatology, a component of Department VII – Internal Medicine 2 of the Faculty of Medicine at the “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timișoara, is the university clinic where students, master’s students, Ph.D. candidates, and residents are trained in the specialty of Diabetes, Nutrition, and Metabolic Diseases. The clinic operates in two locations: the Clinical Department of Diabetes, Nutrition, and Metabolic Diseases at the “Pius Brînzeu” County Emergency Clinical Hospital (the headquarter, situated on the 6th floor of the hospital, where training in Diabetes, Nutrition, and Metabolic Diseases takes place) and the Rheumatology Department at the CFR Clinical Hospital in Timișoara (secondary location, where training in Rheumatology is conducted).

The clinic’s activities include both teaching as well as scientific research in its field of activity, with a focus on metabolic and rheumatological pathologies. Students of the Faculty of Medicine, from the study programs in Romanian, English, and French language, study the respective subjects in this clinic, benefiting from interactive and updated courses, as well as clinical internships designed to facilitate the practical application of theoretical knowledge. Optional courses on topics such as medical nutrition therapy and healthy eating are also offered.

Since 2009, the clinic has also been training students in the study program Nutrition and Dietetics (years I, II, and III), covering topics such as the basics of nutrition, nutritional evaluation, maternal nutrition, artificial nutrition, healthy eating, nutrition andmetabolism related diseases, sports nutrition, and diet therapy for various conditions. Additionally, the teaching staff of the clinic also teach in the study programs General Medical Assistance (in all 3 locations) and Balneophysiokinetotherapy, with an emphasis on nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, and metabolic diseases. Regarding masteral study programs, the clinic is involved in training masteral students from the study programs Clinical and Community Nutrition, Prevention and Rehabilitation of Cardiopulmonary Diseases, Auxology applied in the process of growth and development in children and adolescents, Complementary and alternative therapies.

In postgraduate education, the clinic trains residents in diabetes, nutrition, and metabolic diseases, as well as in other specialties that include these disciplines in their curricula. During residency training, resident doctors are also involved in the scientific research activities of the clinic, with most of them annually presenting their research results at prestigious international and national congresses and publishing them in recognized scientific journals. The doctoral research within the University Clinic of Diabetes, Nutrition, and Metabolic Diseases is conducted under the guidance of four doctoral supervisors.

The University Clinic Diabetes, Nutrition, Metabolic Diseases, and Systemic Rheumatology was established in 1973, with the opening of the Diabetes, Nutrition, and Metabolic Diseases Clinic at the Timișoara County Hospital. The first coordinator of the discipline was Prof. Dr. Gheorghe Băcanu (1973-1992), followed by Prof. Dr. Viorel Șerban (1992-2011) and Prof. Dr. Romulus Timar (2011-2024). Starting in 2024, the clinic is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Bogdan Timar, who was at that time the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.