| | Contact Us | Paul R. Lambert, M.D.
Chairman, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
Medical University of
South Carolina
135 Rutledge Ave.
MSC 550
Charleston, SC 29425
Phone: (843) 792-7161 | Send a question
or comment |
|
The Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery Residency Program provides comprehensive training in all aspects of the specialty, including clinical and basic research. Three residency positions are available each year. This four-year program follows a one-year general surgery internship that must be completed at the Medical University of South Carolina. Surgical internship positions are reserved for applicants who match with the program, and the intern year rotations are determined by the Department of Otolaryngology. The Medical University of South Carolina and the Ralph H. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center are teaching hospitals staffed by faculty and residents. Approximately 3,000 otolaryngological cases are performed each year, and outpatient visits exceed 35,000 annually. Residents progressively gain experience, responsibility and confidence. All major aspects of the specialty are emphasized, including head and neck oncology, skull base surgery, general otolaryngology, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, otology/neurotology, pediatric otolaryngology, rhinology, and laryngology. In addition, residents receive training in audiology, speech pathology, allergy, videostroboscopy, neurolaryngology, sleep medicine, cochlear implants and vestibular function testing. One year of otolaryngology residency is spent at the VA Medical Center, which is the only veteran’s facility in South Carolina that offers an otolaryngology service. The first full Otolaryngology year (PGY-2) focuses on developing clinical skills, such as taking patient histories and performing thorough head and neck examinations. The resident spends nine months on services at the Medical University Hospital and two months at the VAMC otolaryngology service. During each rotation and at all PGY levels, residents help staff by attending clinics when they are not in the Operating Room. In addition to serving as first assistant on more complex cases such as head and neck cancer resections, the PGY-2 gains proficiency at basic otolaryngological surgical techniques such as endoscopy of the upper aerodigestive tract, myringotomy and tube placement, tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, basic rhinologic procedures, and tracheostomy. PGY-2 residents also complete a one month rotation in audiology, speech pathology and allergy. Call responsibilities for PGY-2 residents are every fifth night as the junior resident on call. The PGY-2 resident is responsible for taking the majority of daytime inpatient and Emergency Department consults. Experience in the management of facial trauma is gained during the four months of the year in which the otolaryngology service covers call for Facial Trauma. The second clinical Otolaryngology year (PGY-3) builds on the principles developed during the PGY-2 year. The PGY-3 resident spends five months on services at the Medical University Hospital, three months at the VAMC, and four months on a research block. Operative experiences become more complex as the PGY-3 resident participates actively in oncologic cases, rhinology and sinus surgery, uncomplicated otologic procedures, facial plastic and reconstructive cases, and thyroid and major salivary gland cases. A greater role is played in the operative management of facial trauma, and call responsibilities remain every fifth night as the junior resident on call. Multiple clinical and basic research opportunities are available for the four-month research rotation. Overall, the department ranks 12th nationally in NIH funding for Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery departments with more than 3 million dollars of NIH funding in 2004. The departmental Resident Research Committee assists with the formulation and design of research projects, and research projects are generally funded through University Research Committee (URC) grants. The Otological Research Laboratories have consistently been in the 90th percentile of funding from the National Institutes of Health for otolaryngology programs. Cochlear function, presbycusis, noise damage, neuroanatomy, and neurophysiology are studied in animals and humans. Clinical Ph.D.s lead the research programs in speech and swallowing, head and neck cancer biology, and cochlear implantation. Clinical protocols in head and neck cancer are under investigation, and tumor biology research is pursued in the Hollings Cancer Center. A number of research projects are also underway in the area of sinus and upper respiratory disease. Each year, residents are required to complete at least one research project and present at the annual departmental Magnolia Conference; most will submit a paper for publication. The third clinical Otolaryngology year (PGY-4) continues the theme of graduated responsibility as PGY-4 residents serve as chiefs of their respective services. They spend six months as chief of the VAMC otolaryngology service and six months as chief of various Medical University Hospital services. PGY-4 residents serve as the resident surgeon on the majority of cases in which they are involved over the entire spectrum of surgical Otolaryngology, including otologic surgery, nasal and sinus surgery, plastic and reconstructive procedures, thyroid and salivary gland surgery, head and neck cancer resection and reconstruction, and facial trauma repair. PGY-4 residents take senior level call every fourth night. The responsibility as chief of service during this year provides exceptional opportunity for clinical and leadership maturation, and it facilitates the transition to Chief Resident. The chief resident year (PGY-5) is one in which the resident refines his or her skills in preparation for certification in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery. Chief residents spend four months on each of the three Medical University Hospital services. In addition to serving as resident surgeon or supervisor on all of the above-mentioned procedures, the chief resident plays an active role in the most complex cases, including advanced head and neck cancer, skull base surgery, CSF leak repair and neurotologic cases. In addition, the chief residents have a number of administrative responsibilities in planning the educational and lecture curriculum, making the call schedules, and overseeing the daily function of various services. Chief residents take senior level call every fourth night. Weekly teaching activities include the Basic Otolaryngology Conference, which is a lecture series that covers clinical and basic science topics; and the Subspecialty conferences (otology, rhinology/sinus, facial plastics and reconstructive surgery). Conferences occur every Monday evening (1.5 h), Tuesday morning (1.5h) and Friday morning (1.5h). Additional activities include a weekly comprehensive Tumor Board including staff from pathology, radiology, surgery, and radiation and medical oncology, monthly Journal Club, monthly Morbidity and Mortality Conference, Clinical Case Presentations, and monthly Grand Rounds. Residents on the VA rotation attend a surgical pathology conference. A temporal bone course is conducted during the otology conferences and a weekend sinus course is conducted each spring; both are held in the new 11-station temporal bone/sinus lab. In addition to the yearly In-Service examination each spring, the department has instituted a yearly written examination for all residents, and yearly mock oral examinations for the PGY-2, 3, and 4 residents. Residents are expected to participate actively in their own education as well as the education of their fellow residents. They also take an active role in the education of the medical students that rotate throughout the department. Local conferences attended by residents include the annual Magnolia Conference, which is a national conference hosted by the department in early summer. The conference features guest lecturers from around the country and lectures from MUSC clinical and research faculty and encompasses the entire spectrum of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery. Each resident gives a research presentation during this conference, and two residents present their research at the annual North Carolina/South Carolina meeting. In addition, the department hosts an annual Spoleto Voice and Swallowing Symposium, the F. Johnson Putney Lectureship in Head and Neck Cancer, and the Charleston Sinus Master Course, which the residents attend. Residents attend and present at a number of national conferences each year. Each resident attends the basic allergy conference presented by the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) once during his or her residency. Chief residents attend the annual American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO) meeting. The department provides an annual stipend for travel and books to encourage attendance at national and regional meetings such as the Academy meeting, Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting (COSM), and Southern Section Meeting. In addition to the annual stipend, any resident giving a presentation at one of these meetings is reimbursed by the department for travel expenses. |
