Boston Medical Center’s Diabetes Education program is designed to help you and your primary care providers understand your diabetes and any related conditions through education, medication, monitoring, and nutrition and exercise recommendations. Even small changes in behaviors can lead to improvements in health and health-related quality of life!
Diabetes Awareness Month
November is World Diabetes Awareness Month!
Through the month of November, the BMC Diabetes Education team is doing small daily activities to improve health, and we are asking our patients to participate as well! Our goal is to increase public awareness of the challenges faced by people living with diabetes, and to encourage our patients to engage in small steps, every day, that are known to improve outcomes.
The daily activity calender is available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese.
Empowering Patients with Skills and Support
Diabetes Education is a program of BMC’s Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition, and Weight Management. The program aims to enhance self-care knowledge and skills, support behavioral change, promote general health, and reduce the risk of complications associated with diabetes. This can include individual visits with endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, pharmacists, and dietitians.
BMC offers individual and group classes for diabetes education. You may meet with diabetes education team staff in the group, individually, or in both settings. Courses are often paired with a cooking demonstration and tasting.
Providers: In order to place a referral for Diabetes Education in EPIC, go to Orders and select DSME. Choose group or individual as appropriate.
Diabetes Education Classes
Further Resources for Topics Covered in Class
Exercise and Stress Relief
- Guided meditation/breathing exercises:
Headspace: Grounding Exercise for Racing Minds: Calming Meditation with Dora Kamau
Headspace: Mini Meditation: Let Go of Stress - Tutorial on wall push-ups: Margaret Martin, Physical Therapist: BEST Wall Push Ups for Seniors & Beginners
Nutrition
- Sources of protein: American Diabetes Association: Protein Food for Diabetes
- Guidance on whole grains: American Heart Association: Get to Know Grains: Why You Need Them, and What to Look For
Medical Safety
- Staying aware of your blood pressure: PharmaSmart: Blood Pressure Kiosk Locations
- Sharps safety: U.S. Food & Drug Administration: Be Smart with Sharps (PDF)
Our Team
Diabetes Education team, from left to right: Kyle Bertram, PharmD-CDCES, Katelyn O’Brien, PharmD-CDCES, Corrine Aia, RD-CDCES, Mara Garwood, RD-CDCES, Sheicia Paul, RN-CDCES, Elizabeth Brouillard, RD-CDCES
Corinne Aia, RDN, CDCES
Registered Dietitian; Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Corinne Aia is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and a certified diabetes care and education specialist. She attended Simmons University and completed her dietetic internship at the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, New York.
Corinne teaches group classes and provides individual diabetes education and medical nutrition therapy. She is an insulin pump trainer with experience helping patients use the latest diabetes technologies to improve the quality of their unique lifestyles. Corinne also contributes to research at BMC that focuses on the adoption of diabetes technology in clinical settings.
Kyle Bertram, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES
Clinical Specialist – Endocrinology; Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Kyle Bertram, PharmD, is a clinical pharmacist, board-certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist (BCACP), and certified diabetes care and education specialist. He received his doctorate in pharmacy from Northeast Ohio Medical University and completed a year of residency in Wilmington, North Carolina, and a second year specializing in clinic practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
As a part of the diabetes education team, Dr. Bertram enjoys working directly with patients to ensure they are on the right medications, ensuring the medications they are taking are working the best they can, ensuring everyone has access to technologies to ease stress around blood sugar, and working with patients toward healthy weight goals.
Elizabeth Brouillard, RDN, CDCES
Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Elizabeth Brouillard is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist. She attended the University of Maryland and completed her dietetic internship at New York–Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
Elizabeth is an insulin pump trainer who specializes in diabetes technology. She provides comprehensive diabetes education and medical nutrition therapy to patients, helping them manage their condition through personalized care and advanced treatment tools. In addition, she actively participates in research to determine the most effective diabetes technologies for improving patient outcomes.
Mara Garwood, RDN, CDCES
Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Mara Garwood is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. She attended the University of Vermont and completed her dietetic internship at Cedar Crest College. Mara offers individual and group medical nutrition therapy and diabetes education. She works with patients to guide their lifestyle towards improved quality of life involving food choices, exercise habits, chronic disease management, and self-advocacy.
Katelyn O’Brien, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES, BC-ADM
Clinical Pharmacist - Endocrinology; Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Katelyn O’Brien, PharmD, is a clinical pharmacist and certified diabetes care and education specialist. She attended the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy in Storrs, Connecticut, and completed her PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at VA Boston Healthcare System. She is board certified in the areas of Pharmacotherapy Specialty (BCPS) and Advanced Diabetes Management (BC-ADM).
Dr. O’Brien has been named the 2026 Diabetes Care and Education Specialist of the Year by the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. As a pharmacist, she helps patients get on the right medications for their diabetes. She is passionate about using diabetes technologies to improve outcomes.
Sheicia Paul, BSN, RN-CDCES
Registered Nurse; Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Sheicia Paul has been a registered nurse for two decades and a certified diabetes care and education specialist for seven years. She received her BSN from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.
Sheicia is the American Diabetes Association Quality Coordinator for the diabetes education program at Boston Medical Center. She is passionate about educating people in self-management of their diabetes, ensuring they have access to the latest standards of care in diabetes, and using technology effectively to improve outcomes and help patients lead fulfilling lives.
Sheicia chose to work at BMC because she wants to focus on health equity for all and believes in the BMC mission, “exceptional care, without exception.”
Diabetes information found on these pages should not replace education or instruction from your healthcare provider or certified diabetes educator. We encourage all patients to personalize their diabetes management in collaboration with their healthcare team.