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My father was a molecular biologist, and he inspired a deep sense of curiosity in me. During college, this curiosity led me to volunteer at a local hospital, where I spent time with a young man who had advanced cancer. As I watched the disease slowly overtake him, I became profoundly frustrated that I could not do more to help him. This led me to pursue a career in medicine.

Initially, I planned to become an oncologist. During medical school, however, I fell in love with surgery. I find it extraordinarily gratifying to be able to perform a procedure and see an immediate and dramatic improvement in a patient’s health.

I perform surgery to treat thyroid cancer and other conditions that affect the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands. These include Graves’ disease and toxic nodular goiter, which cause hyperthyroidism, in which the body produces too much thyroid hormone. I also treat hyperparathyroidism, which is when the parathyroid glands make too much parathyroid hormone.

In addition, I care for people who have adrenal disease, including adrenal cancer. I manage Cushing’s syndrome, which is when the body produces an excessive amount of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, and hyperaldosteronism, which is when the adrenal glands produce an excessive amount of the hormone aldosterone. Another condition I treat is pheochromocytoma, which is when an adrenal tumor produces too much adrenaline.

Procedures I perform include total thyroidectomy, in which the entire thyroid gland is removed, as well as partial thyroidectomy, when only part of this gland is removed. I also perform transoral thyroidectomy, in which the thyroid gland is removed through the mouth to avoid a scar on the neck. In addition, I remove lymph nodes in the neck when thyroid cancer has spread to these nodes.

I also offer parathyroidectomy, in which one or more parathyroid glands or tumors are removed. In addition, I perform minimally invasive laparoscopic adrenalectomy, in which I use instruments and cameras to remove one or both adrenal glands.

It is very important for patients to understand their condition, so I work hard to explain it clearly. I discuss all treatment options, including not having surgery. I tell patients how I can help them and offer reassurance throughout their treatment.

My research focuses on identifying new medical treatments for thyroid cancer and better understanding when, why, and how surgery should be performed.

I am fortunate that my work has been acknowledged on several occasions. I twice received a nomination for the Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Physician of the Year award. I also received the Keith D. Lillemoe Faculty Teaching Award, which is given by senior surgery residents in the Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery to the faculty member who has contributed most to their education.