Endocrinology is the study of the hormone-secreting gland systems. Hormones are chemicals created in a groups of cells in the body which travel in the blood usually to distant locations to cause different effects on target organs, tissues, or cells. To work correctly, the body needs to produce the correct amount of hormone, the blood needs to properly transport the hormone, and finally the receptor for the hormone needs to function properly. Diseases of the endocrine system occur when one or more of the endocrine systems in the body are not working well causing a hormone imbalance. These imbalances can be caused by too much hormone, too little hormone, or improper receptor interaction with the hormones produced. 

The board certified endocrinologists at Houston Thyroid and Endocrine are experts in the endocrine glands which include diseases of the thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, testes, pituitary, parathyroids, and insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.  Do you really want a Nurse Practioner, physician assistant, or naturopath making your medical decisions?  Do you want to see endocrinologists that allow for employment of midlevel providers to "routine" hormone issues? Are you a "routine" case?  Our Endocrinologists are medical doctors who have completed rigorous training as follows: 

A four year undergraduate degree, followed by four years of medical school training.

At least 3 years in an accredited internal medicine or pediatric residency program to become internists, followed by a passage of the American Board of Internal Medicine certification exam to become "board certified in adult internal medicine." Pediatricians are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics as "board certified pediatrics".  Prior to 1990 this exam only needed to be taken once, but our endocrinologists take this comprehensive exam at least every 10 years to remain current.

At least 2-3 years of specialty training in an accredited endocrinology and metabolism training program followed by passage of the American Board of Internal Medicine specialty certification to become "board certified in adult endocrinology." Pediatricians are certified by 

the American Board of Pediatrics as "board certifIed pediatric endocrinology". Our endocrinologists take this specialized exam at least every 10 years to remain current.

Simply being a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists does not make a physician an endocrinologist unless one has completed the above training.