1. Patient Care- i. Patients seen in the FNA clinic are screened for the presence of thyroid nodules. If necessary, thyroid ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration  are performed within the context of the clinic. ii. Patients with advanced thyroid cancer are actively surveilled or treated with systemic therapy in the Thyroid Oncology clinic.
2. Education- i. Thyroid FNA clinic: Endocrine fellows are trained to assess and manage ambulatory patients with nodular thyroid disease. Subspecialty trainees gain experience with thyroid palpation, performance of thyroid fine needle aspiration and thyroid ultrasonography. Thyroid aspirates are subsequently reviewed at Thyroid Cytology Conference. This is a dual specialty conference where trainees are introduced to cytologic interpretation and the concept of clinical-pathologic correlation. ii. Thyroid Oncology clinic: Fellows are trained to monitor and treat, appropriately selected patients with advanced thyroid cancer using FDA approved or experimental systemic therapies available through clinical trials. Fellows learn to care for advanced thyroid cancer patients in a multidisciplinary manner via presentation and discussion of such patients in our Endocrine Tumor board which is attended by surgical, nuclear medicine and radiation oncology colleagues, amongst others.

Teaching Methodology:

Patient-based, mentored assessment of historical findings, physical examination and development of a diagnostic and/or therapeutic plan. Each patient is seen and examined by a faculty attending.  Trainees are assisted to varying degrees until they attain the expertise to practice independently. All invasive procedures are performed under attending supervision. In the context of patient care, diagnostic and therapeutic issues are discussed with reference to the literature.

Method of Evaluation:

All subspecialty residents are evaluated biannually. Each resident is required to maintain a log of all procedures performed, including aspiration results.