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.

Williams Textbook of Endocrinology, 15th Edition

By: Shlomo Melmed, MBChB, MACP; Richard J. Auchus, MD, PhD; Allison B. Goldfine, MD; Rosen, Clifford J., MD; and Peter A. Kopp, MD

ISBN: 9780323932301

Publication Date: July 7, 2024

Reviewer: Baani Singh, MD (Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital)

Description

This is the 15th edition of the book with this title. Since this is a pivotal textbook in the study of endocrinology, it is important for the book to appeal to a changing learning landscape in medicine. The previous edition was published in 2020.

Purpose

Based on reading the preface, the purpose of the book is to honor the tradition of this textbook as a complete and thorough reference book for biochemical and physiologic information pertaining to various endocrine diseases. In addition to this, the prime objective is to enhance the foundation of the text with modernized management techniques and addressing advances in the field. This is a worthy objective because there have been many advances in the fields of genetic, molecular, and cellular sciences that can enhance and help target certain endocrine diseases with precision. Additionally, there have been several advancements in diabetes-related technology, population health and surgical techniques that are worth reviewing in a comprehensive fashion. The book does meet its objective because it reads as a text grounded in fundamentals, while comprehensively addressing the new advancements in the field of endocrinology. For more difficult to understand or abstract concepts, there are illustrations, memorable flowcharts, or abbreviated information bullets that help engagement with the material in different ways.

Audience

This book’s audience is for practitioners of endocrinology as well as learners who are interested in entering the field of endocrinology with an in depth understanding. This book is written for detail oriented, curious practitioners who would like to deepen their understanding of the field they are in. It will also benefit learners who are in the field of endocrinology and help them build a comprehensive foundation around evidence-based management and identification of endocrine disease. The book meets the needs of the intended audience as it can benefit practitioners and advanced learners. The style of writing is geared towards learners who may be reading about a particular disease for the first time, but it can also be read as an in-depth manual for practitioners in the field. The authors are credible authorities on the subject as they are renowned experts from around the world providing evidence based medical management guidelines. In addition to being experts due to the quality of evidence cited, they are also experts because each chapter is a product of collaborating authors reviewing previously compiled expert recommendations. Since pioneers in the field authored previous editions, the foundation of each chapter is the highest quality. Adding to high quality work requires expert level research and citing evidence-based practice.

Features

This book covers both the basics as well as complex management of several endocrine diseases. While providing a foundational understanding of each organ system and relevant diseases, it also discusses evidence-based guidelines for management of diseases as well as clinical trials that discuss newer treatments. The strengths of this book include easy to locate topics, a thorough review of each organ system’s pathophysiology and biochemistry, and addressing the rapidly evolving fields of cytogenetics and molecular testing in endocrinology. Nearly every other page has a helpful graphic or “box” with information that is written to highlight the pertinent information in the paragraphs. There are no major shortcomings of the book, and it comprehensively covers all the areas of endocrinology that practitioners will need to be competent in.

Assessment

This is one of the pivotal textbooks in the field of endocrinology. It is known for its thoroughness, depth of evidence examination, and summarization of both rare and common endocrine diseases. It is a comprehensive reference book that can help advanced learners and practitioners of the field deepen their medical knowledge. It is an updated version, and it is justified to replace the previous edition as there have been many advancements in the field and several new techniques that change medical management have been more readily available. It is imperative that reference texts be updated to reflect the advancements of the field it is describing.

©Doody’s Review Service, 2024, Baani Singh, MD (Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital), Doody’s Score: 94 – 4 Stars!

The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Endocrine System, Volume 2, 3rd Edition

By:  William F. Young, MD

ISBN: 9780323881265

Publication Date: June 27, 2024

Reviewer: Keith Lertsburapa,  MD  (AdventHealth Medical Group)

Description

This book offers a concise description of the basic science, physiology, and treatments of various endocrinology conditions with the inclusion of a strong visual component. The visual components include the illustrations of the Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations.

Purpose

The purpose of this volume is to provide a comprehensive review of a myriad of endocrinology conditions, via a strong visual, illustrative component.

Audience

This book is intended as a high yield reference for practicing clinicians, or anyone with an interest in conditions of the endocrine system. This book will be useful for both trainees as well as those in active practice. The editor is a professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic and a renowned clinician educator and expert in the field.

Book Content/Features

The book examines a myriad of endocrine topics and pathology, including Pituitary/Hypothalamus, Thyroid, Adrenal, Reproduction, Pancreas, Bone and Calcium, Lipids and Nutrition, and Genetics and Endocrine Neoplasia. Within each of these sections, are high yield discussions of common and uncommon conditions and their underlying basic science processes, physiology, pathophysiology, and treatments. Again, there is included a strong visual component with the illustrations of the Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations.

Assessment

This book is a great resource for clinicians (both those in training or those who have completed training) or those who have an interest in endocrinology conditions. It is a high yield guide that functions both as a quick reference, or as a comprehensive review of the specialty.

©Doody’s Review Service, 2024, Keith Lertsburapa,  MD  (AdventHealth Medical Group), Doody’s Score: 96 – 4 Stars!