A native of Saskatchewan, Canada, Dr. Kaptein began teaching at the Keck School of Medicine in the Endocrinology Division in 1977. She became a tenured Professor of Medicine in 1990, a position she currently holds. Dr. Kaptein is a distinguished member of the Western Society for Clinical Investigation, American Society of Nephrology, the Endocrine Society and the American Thyroid Association. An accomplished researcher and lecturer, Dr. Kaptein has been invited to speak on the topics of Endocrinology and Nephrology in such cities as Montreal, Milan, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Vienna and Rotterdam, to name a few. In this interview, Dr. Kaptein discusses the need to consider each patient before making treatment decisions. In some cases, this may mean foregoing the removal of cancerous lymph nodes. NOTES American Thyroid Association Dr. Elaine Kaptein