President's Update, February 2014
 |
| Hossein Gharib, M.D. ATA President |
Hello ATA members,
The ATA Annual Meeting is the flagship in our association's activities, and should be considered as our most important venue for scientific exchange and education, to include both clinical practice and basic research. The 2014 Program Committee is hard at work to develop a program that meets the expectations of both our clinical and basic science members, with a balanced and innovative plan. I certainly hope that most of you plan to attend our next meeting in Coronado, CA, next October.
ATA receives superb continued support from its dedicated members, both here and internationally, who volunteer for service on the Board, committees, task forces and guideline development. Personally, I consider service to ATA as a duty as well as an honor. Like most other organizations, the creativity, commitment, and collegiality of ATA leadership bring new ideas and experiences that pursue and promote the association's strategic policies. Members of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, committee chairs and members, editors and editorial boards of our publications, member-speakers at our national meetings, guideline authors, and many more, are donating substantial time for the benefit of the ATA, the community, and our patients with generosity and enthusiasm. Working with our wonderful staff, we have accomplished much in recent years.
Sometimes we don't pay much attention to people in our midst who are quietly at work providing invaluable service without fanfare. In this issue of the Signal, I name our four editors whose selfless, hard work have been exemplary, and should, but never seem to, get enough credit and more importantly, never ask for it. On behalf of the ATA, I express our heartfelt thanks for their continued contributions to our organization and our patients.
Jerome M. Hershman is our Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Thyroidology. He joined ATA in 1969, has been a member of numerous committees, served on the Board of Directors from 1988-1991. He was the first Editor-in-Chief of the journal Thyroid and served as ATA president in 2003. He was the recipient of the Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Lectureship Award, the Stanbury Thyroid Pathophysiology Medal, and the Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Hershman is Associate Chief of Endocrinology & Diabetes at VA Medical Center, West Los Angeles.
Dr. Hershman reflects on his current activities with the ATA - "My plans regarding participation in the ATA activities are to continue my work as Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Thyroidology and my participation in the Publications Committee work. In addition, I am doing research to test the hypothesis that pesticides may be responsible for the increase of thyroid cancer."
Alan P. Farwell has been the Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Thyroidology for Patients since 2009. He joined the ATA in 1990, has served on many ATA committees, and was a member of the ATA Board of Directors from 2004-2005 and 2006-2010. Dr. Farwell is Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University Medical Center.
Dr. Farwell reflects on his work with ATA education for Patients and the Public - "I have led the online journal Clinical Thyroidology for Patients since 2009, expanding from a 4-6 times per year publication to its current monthly format. This journal provides patients and the lay public with the most up-to-date, cutting edge thyroid research written in lay language to allow the rapid dissemination of thyroid research to the widest possible audience. This year we are changing our name to Clinical Thyroidology for the Public, reflecting the fact that you do not need to be a patient to make use of this journal. We are also planning additional content, possible some topic reviews, in future issues, depending on the interest and feedback from our readers and from the ATA membership."
Gerard M. Doherty was recently appointed to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of the new VideoEndocrinology. He is a member of the Board of Directors, served on the ATA DTC Guidelines Task Force, and has been a member since 1998. Dr. Doherty is Utley Professor and Chair of Surgery at Boston University Medical Center.
Peter A. Kopp served on the Editorial Board of the Thyroid from 2003 to 2013, and was appointed as Editor-in-Chief of the journal in 2013. An ATA member since 1997, he has served on many committees, was a member of the Board of Directors 2009-3013, and was Program Committee Chair in 2007. Dr. Kopp is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.
Dr. Kopp on the ATA publication Thyroid - "Thyroid is the leading resource with an exclusive focus on thyroid physiology and disease. The journal has a truly global reader- and authorship. Our goal is to publish high quality original peer-reviewed clinical and basic research studies, cutting edge reviews, and authoritative guidelines covering all aspects of thyroidology. An absolute priority consists in maintaining and further improving the quality of the journal and I encourage both clinical and basic investigators to submit their best work to Thyroid."
It is people like these colleagues that make me extremely proud of my affiliation with the ATA. Let's together advance the mission of ATA.
Sincerely and best wishes to all,
Hossein Gharib, MD
ATA President