Interview with Dr. Roger Smith and Dr. Paul Turek

How has The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Reproductive System, Volume 1 evolved since the previous edition? How has it evolved since the first edition?

Dr. Roger Smith: The art of Frank Netter is truly timeless. In each edition it has been our task as editors to review the accompanying text to ensure that it reflects contemporary understandings of diseases and conditions.

Dr. Paul Turek: I am stunned how prescient and forward-thinking Frank Netter was when he first codifed and published his now legendary tomb of medical images in beginning in 1948, some 75 years ago. As co-editor of the second edition of the Reproductive Volume of images (2011) and following in his footsteps, the breadth and depth of his understanding of human biology was simply stunning to behold. I wondered at that time how I would be able to improve on a masterpiece. The famed heart surgeon Dr Debakey said of Dr Netter his contribution to the study of human anatomy is “epochal,” even stating that “he has advanced our understanding of anatomy more than any other medical illustrator since the 16th century, when Vesalius introduced drawings based on cadaveric dissections.”

Now, tasked with responsibility of creating the 3rd and latest edition of Netter’s Collection of Medical Images, the endeavor was no less daunting. Luckily, with medical knowledge doubling every decade, there were many concepts worthy of introduction or updating. Three noteworthy ones are the advances in our understanding of reproductive biology, assisted reproduction and gender reassignment surgery, fields that have exploded in success and popularity since the last edition. The real challenge however was to be certain that what was written will be true and as forward-looking as when Frank Netter first penned his work.

What is the most exciting aspect of The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Reproductive System, Volume 1? What chapter or topic covered in the new edition are you most excited about? 

Dr. Roger Smith: We have made every effort to point out the clinical implications and applications of the fundamentals presented in the images and text.  We have also included information about evolving clinical issues wherever possible.

Dr. Paul Turek: The advances in assisted reproduction section fortifies the role of scientific advances in fertility care that includes sperm mapping in cases of male sterility to help more men become biodads and the use of microfluidics in the arena of advanced sperm sorting technologies to reintroduce the natural selection process into the in vitro fertilization laboratory. The complex yet organized process by which gender reassignment procedures unfold and occur is the result of years of trial and failure and represent the pinnacle of what skilled surgeons can accomplish in the modern era.

Who will find the greatest value from The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Reproductive System, Volume 1 and why? Has the audience changed since the book first published?

Dr. Paul Turek: What’s funny about the readership of the Netter’s series since its inception is that it really hasn’t changed much: It has and will always be geared to those who seek to gain a zero-to-advanced level understanding of the human body in all of its marvelous detail. That may mean high school, college or medical school students, students of the allied health professions, those studying Eastern medicine and also higher-level medical professionals. With the advent of the internet however, the reach of this epistle of medicine can now fall into many more hands and heads around the globe, inspiring even more of us to appreciate and admire that miraculous machine we inhabit daily.

Dr. Roger Smith: As it has always been with the art of Frank Netter, all students of medicine, be they just beginning or well into their life-long careers, will enjoy and learn from the material presented here.

What new ideas, practices, or procedures would you like to highlight for The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Reproductive System, Volume 1? 

Dr. Paul Turek: The advances in assisted reproduction section fortifies the role of scientific advances in fertility care that includes sperm mapping in cases of male sterility to help more men become biodads and the use of microfluidics in the arena of advanced sperm sorting technologies to reintroduce the natural selection process into the in vitro fertilization laboratory. The complex yet organized process by which gender reassignment procedures unfold and occur is the result of years of trial and failure and represent the pinnacle of what skilled surgeons can accomplish in the modern era.

What problem do you hope the future generation of your specialty will be able to solve? 

Dr. Paul Turek: Given the tremendously rapid advances in medical information and technology now occurring it will become important to understand what information we learn is actually “fact” and therefore actionable, and where new technology should be gainfully employed. In the past, we have seen examples of acting on theoretical information that fails to deliver clinically and we also see examples of technology looking for an application. With the help of AI, we must better hone the decision algorithms to make information and technology work smarter for us.

Is there anything else about The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Reproductive System, Volume 1 you’d like to say? 

Dr. Paul Turek: The Netter Collection seeks to be a transgenerational, timeless work. In the words of Virginia Woolf, “Masterpieces are not single and solitary births; they are the outcome of many years of thinking in common.” Likewise, truth and fact take years to decipher from all that is theoretical. With this latest edition of Netter’s Collection, I hope that by standing on the shoulders of giants, this masterpiece of medical illustration continues this august tradition.

About the Editors

Roger Smith, MD, Parkland, Florida and Paul Turek, MD, Former Endowed Chair Professor, UCSF

Purchase your copy of The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Reproductive System, Volume 1 here!