Research
Reducing Unnecessary Treatment Through Better Decisions
Dr. Pitt's research program sits at the intersection of health services research, clinical decision science, and endocrine surgery. The central question: how can we help patients and clinicians make better decisions about low-risk conditions — reducing harm without sacrificing outcomes?
$2M+
NIH/NCI Funding
120+
Publications
10+
Institutions
Four Pillars of the Research Program
Funding
Funded Research
A multi-level intervention to reduce total thyroidectomy overuse for low-risk cancer
The R37 MERIT Award extends an R01 grant for exceptional investigators, providing seven years of funding and the freedom to pursue high-impact, long-term research.
Principal Investigator
A pilot feasibility study of an intervention to decrease overtreatment of low-risk thyroid cancer
2023–2025 · PI
Development of a surgeon intervention to reduce total thyroidectomy use for low-risk cancer
2024–2026 · MPI
Impact of emotions on treatment decisions about low-risk thyroid cancer
2018–2024 · PI
Reducing overtreatment of low-risk thyroid cancer with a patient-directed intervention: A pilot-feasibility study
2023–2025 · PI
Scholarship
Selected Publications
The effect of a surgeon communication strategy on treatment preference for thyroid cancer: A randomized trial
Pitt SC, et al. Medical Decision Making, 2025.
Making Choices: A multi-institutional, longitudinal cohort study assessing changes in treatment outcome valuation for low-risk thyroid cancer
Pitt SC, et al. Annals of Surgery, 2025.
Trends in incidence, metastasis, and mortality from thyroid cancer in the USA from 1975 to 2019
Chen MM, Luu M, Sacks WL, et al. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2025.
Surgeon preference for maximizing medical care is associated with recommending more extensive surgery for low-risk thyroid cancer
Pitt SC, et al. Thyroid, 2024.
Health-related quality of life in patients with low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer
Pitt SC, et al. Thyroid, 2024.
Gaps in treatment-related fears of patients with low-risk thyroid cancer — The gender divide
Jackson AS, Underwood HJ, Pitt SC. JAMA Otolaryngology, 2023.
What do patients want to know about surgery for low-risk thyroid cancer?
Pitt SC, et al. Surgery, 2023.
Physician perspectives of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of low-risk papillary thyroid cancer in the US
Dedhia PH, Saucke MC, Long KL, Doherty GM, Pitt SC. JAMA Network Open, 2022.
Peace of mind: A role in unnecessary care?
Chen MM, Hughes TM, Dossett LA, Pitt SC. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2022.
Quality of life, patient-reported outcomes, and extent of surgery for patients with low- and intermediate-risk differentiated thyroid cancer
Pitt SC. JAMA Surgery, 2022.
The influence of emotions on treatment decisions about low-risk thyroid cancer
Pitt SC, et al. Thyroid, 2021.
Patients' reaction to diagnosis with thyroid cancer or an indeterminate thyroid nodule
Pitt SC, et al. Thyroid, 2021.
From overdiagnosis to overtreatment of low-risk thyroid cancer: A thematic analysis of attitudes and beliefs of endocrinologists, surgeons, and patients
Jensen CB, Saucke MC, Francis DO, Voils CI, Pitt SC. Thyroid, 2020.
Novel decision support interventions for low-risk thyroid cancer
Pitt SC, Saucke MC. JAMA Otolaryngology, 2020.
Women in academic surgery: A double-edged scalpel
Greenup RA, Pitt SC. Academic Medicine, 2020.
Mentorship
Lab & Team
Mentoring the next generation of surgeon-scientists is one of the most meaningful parts of Dr. Pitt’s work. The team includes postdoctoral fellows, residents, medical students, and undergraduate researchers — all contributing to projects that improve how we make decisions in endocrine surgery.
0+
Trainees Mentored
0+
Current Members
Current Team
Dr. Hunter Underwood
Faculty
Dr. Lina Hu
Faculty
Dr. Alex Chiu
Faculty
Dr. Catherine Jensen
Fellow
Dr. Derek Kao
Resident
Dr. Emily Evans
Resident
Dr. Steven Xie
Resident
Dr. Tim Kravchenko
Resident
Dr. Sarah Lund
Resident
Emily Crowley
Medical Student
Tejal Patel
Medical Student
George Yacoub
Medical Student
Julia Meguid
Medical Student
Alisha Keshwani
Undergraduate