Endocrine Surgery Fellowship

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Department of Surgery has a longstanding tradition of training future physicians, surgeons, physician-scientists, and academic leaders committed to delivering the highest quality surgical care. Faculty within the Division of Surgical Oncology, which includes the Section of Endocrine Surgery, are dedicated academic clinicians who apply innovative techniques to improve outcomes and expand access to care across Omaha and the surrounding region. UNMC is home to the only fellowship-trained Endocrine Surgery group in the state of Nebraska, serving as a regional referral center for complex endocrine disease.

The mission of the Endocrine Surgery Fellowship is to train future leaders and scholars through excellence in advanced clinical decision-making, operative performance, research productivity, and teaching. This one-year fellowship accepts one fellow annually and emphasizes mastery of benign and malignant endocrine disease, particularly thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal pathology. Graduated autonomy and exposure to high-complexity cases prepare fellows for independent practice by fellowship completion. A strong emphasis on outcomes tracking and quality improvement equips trainees with lifelong tools for self-assessment and practice optimization.

The fellowship provides robust clinical exposure across multiple practice sites within the Omaha region, including the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center (FPBCC) on the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine campus, Bellevue Medical Center, and Village Pointe Cancer Center. FPBCC is the only NCI-designated cancer center in Nebraska. This geographic diversity broadens clinical experience and supports care delivery to both urban and rural populations.

Fellows receive comprehensive training in the full spectrum of endocrine surgery. Operative experience includes minimally invasive and open thyroidectomy, central and lateral neck dissections, reoperative neck surgery, and management of advanced thyroid cancer. Fellows gain proficiency in surgeon-performed cervical ultrasound, ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy, radiofrequency ablation for benign, malignant, and hyperfunctioning thyroid disease. Parathyroid training includes focused and bilateral exploration, reoperative surgery, intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring, and autofluorescence-guided techniques. Adrenal surgery experience is extensive and includes minimally invasive transabdominal, retroperitoneoscopic, robotic-assisted, and open adrenalectomy, as well as perioperative management of hormonally active tumors. Collaboration with endocrinology and interventional radiology, including adrenal vein sampling, ensures comprehensive exposure to complex adrenal disorders and postoperative hormonal management. Neuroendocrine tumor exposure is available

through collaboration with Complex General Surgical Oncology faculty, with operative and clinic participation tailored to fellow interest and integrated into the Endocrine Surgery experience.

Fellows participate in multidisciplinary endocrine clinics and tumor boards alongside endocrinology, oncology, radiology, pathology, laryngology, and speech-language pathology. Same-day imaging, in-clinic ultrasound, fine needle aspiration with on-site cytologic adequacy, and routine laryngoscopy allow for efficient, comprehensive patient evaluation and longitudinal care.

Education and scholarship are core components of the fellowship. Fellows actively teach residents and medical students through lectures, case conferences, and skills labs. Research is integrated throughout the year, supported by faculty mentorship, resident and student collaboration, a dedicated statistician, and funding for national presentations. Regular meetings with the program director ensure steady academic progress.

In summary, the UNMC Endocrine Surgery Fellowship offers a comprehensive, high-volume, academically rigorous training environment that prepares graduates for independent practice and leadership in endocrine surgery.