Philip R. Orlander, M.D.

Professor and Division Director

Dr. Orlander received his undergraduate degree from New York University and was awarded his medical degree from the Free University of Brussels, Belgium. He completed his internship and residency training in Internal Medicine at St. Raphael’s Hospital, New Haven, CT. His Endocrinology fellowship training was at St. Raphael’s Hospital, New Haven, CT, and at the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, and Endocrinology and Metabolism. In 1983, he joined the faculty at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston as an Assistant Professor, and subsequently was promoted to Associate Professor in 1991, Professor in 1997, and Division Director of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism in 1993. In 2004, he became Vice-Chairman of Internal Medicine for Education and was named Interim Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine in May, 2007.

Dr. Orlander has had a strong interest in Medical Education, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. He was course director for Physical Diagnosis from 1991 to 2004, Chairman of the Curriculum Committee from 1993 to 1998, from 2002-2007, and was named Assistant Dean for Curricular Affairs in 2005. On the post-graduate level, he has been Program Director for the Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Fellowship program since 1991, and Vice-Chairman for Education since 2005.  He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and was elected to the University of Texas Academy of Health Science Education in 2006. He is the recipient of the Herbert L. and Margaret W. Dupont Master Clinical Teaching Award, the Award for Humanism in Medicine, and multiple Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Awards. He has served as Medical Director of the ADA approved Diabetes Self-Management Training Program affiliated with Memorial Hermann Hospital.

Dr. Orlander’s clinical interests and practice include diabetes, thyroid disorders and pituitary abnormalities.  His research interests include the epidemiology of Type 2 diabetes and its cardiovascular complications.

Patient Care Specialities:  Diabetes, thyroid disorders and pituitary abnormalities

 

Shahla Nader, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Dr. Nader is an endocrinologist, trained in Great Britain. She has a special interest in Reproductive Endocrinology and Women’s Health. She attended Leeds University Medical School and had her post-graduate endocrine training at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London. She has been a member of the faculty at the University of Texas Medical School for over 20 years and holds a dual appointment in the Departments of Internal Medicine (Endocrine Division) and OB/GYN. She is extensively involved in medical education of medical students, residents in Internal Medicine and OB/GYN and fellows in endocrinology. Her special interests relate to polycystic ovary syndrome and ovarian function and also infertility.  Research interests include ovarian function and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Patient Care Specialities:  Reproductive endocrinology and endocrine disorders in pregnancy

 

Neel L. Shah, M.D.

Associate Program Director
Assistant Professor

Dr. Shah joined the Division in 2011.  He received his undergraduate education from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and his medical degree from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.  He completed a residency in Internal Medicine and Chief Residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, and completed a fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.  Dr. Shah is board certified in Internal Medicine, and in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. Dr. Shah has a special interest in thyroid ultrasound, and has a dedicated thyroid ultrasound fine needle aspiration clinic.

Patient Care Specialties:  General endocrinology, diabetes, thyroid ultrasound and biopsy, medical informatics

 

Jeena M. Varghese, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Dr. Varghese joined the Division in 2012.  She is a medical graduate from the Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences in Bellur, India. She completed residency in Internal Medicine followed by fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at The University
of Texas Medical School at Houston. Dr. Varghese spent one year as an advanced Endocrine Fellow with Dr. Camilo Jimenez as her mentor in the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. During that time, Dr. Varghese’s training was focused on benign and malignant endocrine tumors (pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal tumors), endocrine complications of cancer and cancer therapies. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, and Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.  Dr. Varghese has a special interest in thyroid ultrasound, and has a dedicated thyroid ultrasound fine needle aspiration clinic.

Patient Care Specialties:  General endocrinology, endocrine cancer, thyroid ultrasound and biopsy.

 

 

Kelly Wirfel, M.D.

Program Director

Assistant Professor

Dr. Wirfel joined the Division in 2008.  She received her undergraduate education from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and her medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine at Albuquerque, New Mexico.  She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas, and completed her fellowship in Endocrinology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas and The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Texas. Dr. Wirfel is board certified in Internal Medicine, and Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.  Dr. Wirfel has a special interest in diabetes, and general endocrinology.

Patient Care Specialities:  Diabetes, and General Endocrinology.

 

Caroline S. Warner

Executive Assistant

Academic Office:
The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
6431 Fannin, MSB 5.104
Houston, TX  77030
713-500-6533 Phone
713-500-6647 Fax