Program Presentation
Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disease defined by Masso (2009) as "a group of metabolic diseases or syndromes characterized by the appearance of secondary hyperglycemia to defects in insulin secretion, the insulin’s action or both”. The WHO reports that the disease affects over 347 million people worldwide.
Diabetes mellitus develops for various reasons the most common being poor eating habits, weight gain, sedentary lifestyle and hereditary factors, among others. Hence, the importance of the treatment of this disease is to raise the patient’s awareness about the importance of making changes in one’s lifestyle including proper eating habits and physical activity, which decreases the risk of complications posed by this disease.
The WHO predicts that by the year 2030 diabetes mellitus will be the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. Health professionals should be at the forefront of advances in the treatment of this disease, to ensure that those affected, have a proper quality of life with optimal management of their disease. It is important to reinforce the activities that prevent the development of type II diabetes mellitus especially in the low and middle income population groups where its sufferers are between 35-65 years old. This requires a solid training program that can be acquired by completing this program.
Who is the programme for?
The Specialization in Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals program is designed for the following individuals:
- Graduates / degree holding health professionals who wish to specialize in Diabetes so as to complete and broaden their academic expertise.
- Health professionals that want to consolidate their knowledge to use it in their personal and working environment.
- People with a non-academic background who wish to specialize in the study of Diabetes.
- Persons having the disease and those who surround them who want to learn how to improve their quality of life.
- Professionals who work in health related jobs or businesses that wish to specialize in the subject as well as their families or diabetic persons who want to know more about the disease and improve their quality of life.
The Specialization in Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals program is the ideal complement to enrich any under or post-graduate academic degree for those interested in specializing in the study and understanding of Diabetes.
Diploma
Successful completion of the Program will enable you to be awarded the degree in Specialization in Education for Health Care Professionals.
After successfully completing the Program, the student will receive the degree as awarded by the University where they have enrolled.
Program Structure
The credit structure of the Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals program is shown in the following table. It should be noted that the duration is merely indicative, as the methodology followed integrates the knowledge and skills to be acquired in each part through integrative exercises of knowledge acquisition and internalization of project practices:
| SUBJECTS | CREDITSa |
|---|---|
| Diabetes Education for Healthcare Professionals | 5 |
| Food and Nutrition Education | 5 |
| TOTAL | 10 |
a. The equivalence in credits may vary according to the university where he/she has enrolled. One (1) ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credit is equivalent to 10 + 15 hours. If the student is enrolled in a university that does not belong to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the relation between credits - hours may vary.
Duration
The program in Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals has 10 créditos.
The duration of the program in Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals varies between 6 and 9 months, depending on the student's dedication. In this period of time, the student must have successfully passed all the evaluated activities and approved the Final Project, if any.
Objectives
General Objective
- To become familiar with the causes that lead to Diabetes, its characteristic symptoms and the consequences of an uncontrolled metabolic rate as well as to identify its principal treatments: physical exercise, diabetic diet, education and medication so as to keep it under control.
Specific Objectives
- To distinguish the causes that provoke Diabetes, its characteristic symptoms and the consequences of an uncontrolled metabolic rate.
- To increase knowledge about the prevalence and frequency of Diabetes and to encourage and explain the benefits of an early prognosis.
- To identify its principal treatments: physical exercise, diabetic diet, education and medication so as to encourage its control.
- To learn about the benefits of a well regulated metabolic rate so as to avoid or postpone complications derived from the condition.
Career Opportunities
Some Career Opportunities for Diabetes Education for Health Professionals are the following:
- Doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health-care related professionals as a complement to their training and skills in their daily work.
- Teachers in regulated and non-regulated educational programs, health and restoration services personnel, consumer information centers, chronic sickness associations, colleges, civic centers, sports centers, etc.
- Industrial consultants in information search and new products promotion directed at diabetic patients so as to assure the links between marketing, technologies, research, development and health in diabetic related care.
- Related job positions in dietetic products specialized retailers.
- Related job positions in the food or pharmaceutical industry with a particular nutritional products line.
Note: Professional practice is subject to each country’s legislations.
Study Plan
Diabetes Education for Health Professionals consists of 1 subject structured according to a coherent pedagogical sequence to be followed by students.
The goal of this subject is to allow the student to acquire an overallview of Diabetes, emphasizing the relevant role of Diet Therapy and the necessary nutritional knowledge relating to this disease.
Nota: The contents of the academic program may be subject to slight modifications, depending on the updates or the improvements made.
Management
Academic Administration
- Dr. Maurizio Antonio Battino. Researcher in Biochemistry and professor in the Scuola di Specializzazione in Scienza dell'Alimentazione. Professor at the Università Politecnica delle Marche. Scientific Director of the European University of the Atlantic.
General Academic Coordination
- Dr. Irma Domínguez Azpíroz. International Coordinator.
- Dr. (c) Anna Marín. Coordinator in the Nutrition Area.
FUNIBER Training Scholarships
The Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) allocates periodically an extraordinary economic item for FUNIBER Training Scholarships.
To apply, please fill out the information request form that appears in the web of FUNIBER or contact directly the Foundation’s headquarters in your country that will inform you if you need to provide some additional information.
Once the documentation is received, the Evaluation Committee will determine your application's eligibility for the FUNIBER Training Scholarship.