Alexander L. Shifrin - Endocrine Surgery Comprehensive Board Exam Guide

To study the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all. William Osler

Every surgical subspecialty has been rapidly developing with the establishment of board certification. The Division of Endocrine Surgery (DES) of the European Board of Surgery has defined the curriculum for endocrine surgery to include thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal and GEP-NET surgery, and handles accreditation in endocrine surgery. The first examinations in endocrine surgery in Europe were introduced in 2003. The main goal of these exams is to maintain a uniform and high standard of endocrine surgical professionalism across Europe.

This important book project, Endocrine Surgery Comprehensive Board Exam Guide, was completed with the expectation that it would benefit all European surgeons looking to be certified in endocrine surgery; additionally, surgeons from the United States and other non-EU countries will also benefit from this book when the Endocrine Surgery Board Exam is introduced in the United States or other non-EU countries.

Collaboratively publishing the first Endocrine Surgery Board Exam preparation manuscript, Endocrine Surgery Comprehensive Board Exam Guide, was a detailed process involving collaborative efforts of world leaders in endocrine surgery and the co-editors: Alexander L. Shifrin, MD, Director of Endocrine Oncology at Hackensack Meridian Health of Monmouth and Ocean Counties of New Jersey; Langenbecks Archives of Surgery Journal, Guest Editor, Endocrine Surgery Section. Marco Raffaelli, MD, the Chairman of the Board of the Division of Endocrine Surgery (DES) of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS); Gregory W. Randolph, MD, President of the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 20162017; and Oliver Gimm, MD, the Chairman of the DES.

The book contains knowledge that is expected to be known for the board examination of the DES. In general, chapters start with a patients case followed by questions. The subsequent comprehensive yet concise main text provides all the information needed and cites important references. The chapters end with the answers to questions. Each chapter is authored by experts in the field of endocrine surgery. Each chapter is written by a DES-certified endocrine surgeon, and some chapters are co-authored with US endocrine or otolaryngology head and neck surgeons.

We hope that this book will be the main source of preparation for the endocrine surgery examination and will bring endocrine surgery to a higher level of expertise by helping to raise the standard of training for future endocrine surgeons.

The creation of this textbook, covering the entire scope of endocrine surgery, was dependent on team effort, which was possible only with the support and enthusiasm of the many individuals who contributed to this book, and our colleagues who trusted us and dedicated their time and effort to make it happen, without whom this book would have never come to life!

Special thanks to the Executive Editor Richard Hruska, who believed in us, and Senior Editor Lee Klein of Springer, for his hard work and dedication.

Finally, we would like to thank the entire staff at Springer, who was very supportive from the first idea of this atlas and maintained their enthusiasm until the end.