After graduating from the University of Michigan Medical School, Norman W. Thompson, M.D., remained at the University for his surgical training and completed a residency in General Surgery in 1962. He was then appointed to the faculty as Instructor and rose through the ranks to full Professor in 1971. In 1979, he was appointed the first Henry King Ransom Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Endocrine Surgery.

Dr. Thompson's clinical and research interests have focused on diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands as well as endocrine diseases of the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. In addition, he has maintained a special interest in hereditary endocrine diseases including MEN I and MEN II and their detection by gene mutational analysis. He was a founding member of both the American and International Associations of Endocrine Surgeons and has served as President of both societies. In 2002 he became Professor Emeritus and will continue his research pursuits.