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Q&A with Expert Thyroid Cancer Surgeon, Dr. Nate Walsh

Posted: Sep 26th, 2022

Meet Dr. Nate Walsh

Dr. Walsh has a passion for cutting edge thyroid surgery. After practicing in Florida following his training, he was afforded the opportunity to join the Clayman Thyroid Center to pursue this passion exclusively. He provides the most up to date, modern treatment for thyroid disease. Dr. Walsh is an exquisitely talented and experienced thyroid surgeon and is highly sought to provide excellence in thyroid surgical care for patients.

Q&A with Expert Thyroid Cancer Surgeon, Dr. Nate Walsh of the Clayman Thyroid Center

1) Tell me about your background and why you chose to focus on thyroid surgery.

I was raised in Tampa, FL for almost my entire life prior to going to college. Multiple family members are in medicine, so this career was certainly on my radar when I was growing up. I completed the Honors Program at the University of Florida in my undergraduate education and graduated with dual BS/BA degrees. I then received my medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine. After medical school, I went on to complete General Surgery residency at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University Medical Center. During my training I became very interested in Endocrine Surgery, particularly thyroid surgery, and focused upon this during the last two years of my residency. After residency, I then completed a year- long Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery fellowship at Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University Medical Center.

Thyroid surgery is wonderful and unique in a few respects. One, there are a variety of different thyroid issues, particularly thyroid cancer, that can be treated and cured with expert thyroid surgery. Additionally, the surgeries are refined, artistic, and very precise. Almost all of our patients recover very quickly, feel great, and are extremely appreciative. I love what I do!

2) What made you decide to join the Clayman Thyroid Center/Hospital for Endocrine Surgery team?

Initially, I was very intrigued by the opportunity to join a super-subspecialized practice that would allow me to provide cutting edge surgical care for thyroid cancer and thyroid disease. Focusing on thyroid surgery was extremely appealing as well, particularly having the opportunity to perform the most thyroid operations in the country and become an expert authority on surgical management of thyroid cancer and thyroid disease. Ultimately, these factors coupled with the people made the decision very easy for me.

Our team at the Clayman Thyroid Center and the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery is awesome. We all love working together. There is definitely a family feel to the center, the hospital, and our team. Finally, working with other world-renowned colleagues who specialize in surgical management of other endocrine diseases is fantastic. The Clayman Thyroid Center and Hospital for Endocrine Surgery are amazing and one of a kind.

3) What makes the experience your team provides to patients unique?

I think the key word is "team". This includes everyone at our center and specialty hospital, from scheduling all the way to post-operative care and follow-up. Our team is extremely diligent, compassionate, and focused on providing the most efficient VIP patient experience. Additionally, patients have direct access to the surgeons from the minute they fill out a new patient form. One of our surgeons calls each new patient to review their medical history, diagnosis, and individualized plan for surgery. Patients are then scheduled for evaluation and surgery, a process that is unique in its efficiency. Patients from out of state or other countries are able to be evaluated, have expert thyroid surgery, and return to their hotel in the same day. This process is not replicated by any other practice in the United States. Patients are exceedingly appreciative and amazed by their VIP patient experience.

Perhaps most importantly, we only do thyroid surgery. So not only do the surgeons have extra training and expertise in thyroid surgery, our entire team also specializes in this. Our nursing staff, anesthesia colleagues, ultrasound team, radiologists, and pathologists are the best of the best. Their experience is also unparalleled due to the volume and super-subspecialization of our center and practice. All of this allows the Clayman Thyroid Center to have unmatched patient outcomes.

4) Why do you think so many patients choose to travel to your team for their procedure?

Our expertise and super-subspecialization in thyroid cancer surgery are the main attractions for patients traveling for their care. People traveling for the best medical care (medical tourism) is becoming increasingly popular. Patients are frequently behaving more as consumers when it comes to their healthcare. While some patients seek medical attention abroad to reduce cost, this can come at the risk of complications, bad outcomes, and incorrect diagnosis/treatment, among other adverse events. Nothing is more important than a person’s health, and people want expert treatment with excellent outcomes. That is why they chose a center and specialty hospital like ours.

Expert and experienced evaluation, treatment, and follow-up for thyroid cancer is of critical importance. Distance should not be the deciding factor in where one’s thyroid surgery is done.

5) Do you think there are any misconceptions about thyroid surgery?

There are certainly misconceptions about thyroid surgery. First and most importantly, many patients think any surgeon can do thyroid surgery well and safely with excellent outcomes. That is false. Just like any other profession or trade, the more you do something, the better and more skilled you are. Our center does more thyroid surgeries in 1 day than 95% of “thyroid surgeons” in the United States do in a year. There is no substitute for expertise, volume, and experience concerning thyroid surgery.=

Another very common misconception about thyroid surgery deals with thyroid health and recovery after thyroid surgery. Many patients worry about their health and read bad information on the internet about how thyroid surgery and medication will cause them to gain weight and be very tired, among other symptoms. Thyroid hormone medication and diligent follow-up regarding the dosage and your thyroid hormone levels is critical after thyroid cancer surgery. As long as the patient is compliant with the necessary medication and follow-up, then their thyroid levels should be appropriate. If your thyroid levels are where they should be, then thyroid medication or thyroid cancer surgery will NOT be the cause of weight gain, fatigue, hair loss, etc. that everyone is concerned about. Finally, many patients believe they will have a huge scar, significant pain, and a long recovery after thyroid surgery. When thyroid surgery is done by experts, even for thyroid cancer, many patients are discharged home the same day. Most patients have a small scar that heals well and causes very little pain and are back to almost all normal daily activities immediately. Even patients with larger surgeries for thyroid cancer are walking, talking, eating, and drinking right after their surgery and out of the hospital the following day.

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