Interview with Dr. William F. Young

How has your The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Endocrine System, Volume 2, 3rd edition evolved since the previous edition? How has it evolved since the first edition?

The first edition of the Endocrine System volume of the Netter Collection was published in 1965 and the second edition in 2011. In 2011, the text was entirely rewritten, but most of the anatomic and clinical artwork of Frank H. Netter, MD, stood the test of time. Since new endocrine disorders and treatment approaches had been recognized, new artwork was added in every section. The third edition is a complete update of each section—reflecting the latest advances in endocrinology. New artwork and topics include: pituitary stalk lesions, empty sella, thyroid biopsy, metastatic pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, adrenocortical carcinoma, diabetes-related dermatologic manifestations, McCune-Albright syndrome, and Carney triad.

What is the most exciting aspect of The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Endocrine System, Volume 2, 3rd edition? What chapter or topic covered in the new edition are you most excited about?

As I updated the text from the second edition, it was invigorating to see how much the field of endocrinology has advanced over the past decade and a half. To be honest, it is difficult to choose just one chapter topic that I am most excited about—it is more the remarkable advances in diagnostics and pharmacotherapeutics across all of the eight endocrine sections in this book that I find inspiring.

Who will find the greatest value from The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Endocrine System, Volume 2, 3rd edition and why? Has the audience changed since the book first published

This work is not a complete textbook of endocrinology, but rather it is a visual tour of the highlights of this medical discipline. The target audience has not changed over the years: medical students, nursing students, nurse practitioners, internal medicine residents, endocrinology trainees, and both junior and senior clinicians.

What new ideas, practices, or procedures would you like to highlight for The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Endocrine System, Volume 2, 3rd edition?

Although discussed previously in the thyroid nodule section, we now devote a full plate to thyroid biopsy—a procedure that is key in directing diagnosis and management.

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

Oh goodness, we have a lengthy list of problems in endocrinology that need to be solved and I will just mention a few. We need to develop a cure for the most aggressive cancers in endocrinology—anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and adrenocortical carcinoma. For patients with primary aldosteronism, we need a less invasive and technically demanding way than adrenal venous sampling in order to distinguish between unilateral and bilateral adrenal disease. And finally, although there have been dramatic advances over the past decade, we need to perfect the artificial pancreas.

Is there anything else about The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Endocrine System, Volume 2, 3rd edition you’d like to say?

I want to acknowledge my colleagues and patients at Mayo Clinic who have provided me with the clinical experience, perspective, and insights to address the broad field of endocrinology. The editorial and production staffs at Elsevier have been incredibly supportive at every step from initial general concepts to final publication. I am indebted Dr. Carlos Machado and the second generation of Netter artists.

About the Editor

William F. Young, MD, from the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition, reflects his role as the Tyson Family Endocrinology Clinical Professor and Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, located in Rochester, Minnesota.

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