Residency Program

The Department of Otorhinolaryngology accepts five residents each year.

The core hospitals of the residency training program are in the immediate vicinity of the University of Pennsylvania campus. These are the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Veteran’s Administration Hospital. In addition, residents rotate to Pennsylvania Hospital, which is just 2 miles away.

The clinical rotations at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania are divided between two services. One service is primarily devoted to patients with head and neck oncologic and reconstructive problems. This team is headed by a Chief Resident and includes otolaryngology residents at the PGY-1, PGY-2 and PGY-4 levels.

The second service deals primarily with problems in the field of otology, rhinology/sinus surgery and general otolaryngology. The team is also headed by a Chief Resident and includes otolaryngology residents at the PGY-2 and PGY-3 levels.

The Head and Neck Service covers the scope of benign and malignant diseases. Referrals of patients requiring surgical management of thyroid, parathyroid and laryngeal neoplasms comprise a significant proportion of the management challenge.

These rotations provide a wide range of clinical experience and exposure to both common and rare clinical problems in all age groups and clinical populations. Resident responsibilities are progressive through the training program in order to develop a well-rounded physician who can have justified confidence in his or her clinical abilities in dealing with all types of problems.

Penn Visiting Clerkships for Students Underrepresented in Medicine:

The Visiting Clerkship Programs for Underrepresented Minority Medical Students encompass numerous opportunities for 4th year medical students to explore rotations at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), Penn Presbyterian Hospital (Presby), and Pennsylvania Hospital (Pennsy) in a number of subspecialties. The clerkships include both sub-internship and elective experiences in top-ranked residency programs. Students not only have the opportunity to spend time learning first-hand what it is like to be a resident at these institutions, but they are paired with resident and faculty mentors and meet with Residency Program Directors to aid in their recruitment and preparation for the interview season and Match Process. Funding is included!

Otolaryngology Clerkship:
This clerkship emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients with otolaryngologic (i.e. ear, nose and throat) problems. The student will participate in outpatient and inpatient care under the supervision and guidance of the faculty and residents. The rotation will involve experiences gained on two separate clinical services through which the student will rotate and spend roughly equal time on each service. One service treats mostly patients with sinus, otology/neurotology, trauma and general otolaryngology problems. Drs. Bigelow, Adappa, Kennedy, Mirza, Palmer, Ruckenstein and Thaler are the attendings on this service. The other clinical service will involve treating patients mostly with head and neck problems and oncology of the head and neck; this service is staffed by Drs. Farwell, Rassekh, Brody, Chalian, and Weinstein. On each of these services, the student will be expected to function as a member of the clinical team and will work closely with the residents on inpatient care. There will be opportunity to spend 1-2 days at the Children’s Hospital to gain a brief insight into the pediatric aspects of otolaryngology. Attendance at departmental conferences, seminars and grand rounds is encouraged. A literature search and written review of a subject or case report is required for an Honors grade.