Bio
Kara D. Meister, MD, FAAP, FACS is a pediatric otolaryngologist and head & neck surgeon. She received her medical degree from Medical University of South Carolina and completed her otolaryngology residency at University of Pittsburgh. She completed a NIH-funded fellowship in head and neck research at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Meister then went on to complete a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford.
She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department Otolaryngology, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, at Stanford University. Dr. Meister’s research interests include thyroid cancer, head & neck masses, Graves' disease. She has a special interest in the influence of the environment and pollutants (such as microplastics) on health. She currently serves as the Associate Clinical Chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology. Dr. Meister completed additional training in innovation through the Stanford Biodesign Faculty Fellowship.
Her clinical interests include the treatment of patients with head and neck masses including thyroid nodules and cancer. She is Co-Director, Surgical, of the Children's Thyroid Center at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and is a participating surgeon in the Aerodigestive and Airway Reconstruction Center at Stanford Children’s Health. She is co-editor of the textbook "Pediatric Bronchoscopy for Clinicians" and enjoys advocacy work with the American Academy of Pediatrics Button Battery Taskforce.
Dr. Meister is a member of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) where she serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee and is a member of the ATA Guidelines Writing Group for Thyroid Disease & Pregnancy. She is a member of the pediatric committee of the American Head and Neck Society. She is an author and speaker on masses and tumors of the head and neck, thyroid disease, and thyroid cancer in children and adolescents. In collaboration with SHC, she offers novel treatment for thyroid problems in children and adolescents including radiofrequency ablation of thyroid nodules.
Dr. Meister lives in Woodside with her husband, 3 children, and Rooney the dog.
Clinical Expertise:
Children's Thyroid Center, Co-Director, Surgical
Thyroid nodules
Thyroid cancer - papillary, follicular, and medullary
Surgical management of hyperthyroidism and Grave's disease
MEN syndrome
Head and Neck masses
Congenital neck masses such as branchial cleft cyst, thyroglossal duct cyst
Pediatric Head and Neck cancer
Airway evaluation and reconstruction, voice and swallowing problems, and Aerodigestive
Fetal Airway and Exit Team
