First Year

The PGY-1 year of training will consist of well-balanced year of general surgical training as well as education on the medical management of surgical patients. This year will prepare you with the basic surgical skills and knowledge that will serve you well during your otolaryngology training.

As a PGY-1 resident, you will be an integral part of the general and specialty surgical services at GWUMC. You will operate, as well as manage patients on the various rotations. Rotations as a PGY-1 include: Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, General Surgery (3 months), Plastic Surgery, Anesthesia, Pediatric Surgery, and Otolaryngology (3 months). You will also attend general surgery and otolaryngology conferences on Wednesday mornings, as well as the Otolaryngology Basic Science Conference on Friday mornings.

Second Year

The PGY-2 year of training will consist of a nine-month rotation at the George Washington University Medical Center/Center for Cosmetic Surgery (GWUMC/CCS) and three months at the Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC). The objective is to provide the residents with a thorough education in the fundamental skills required for clinical pediatric and adult otolaryngology. Emphasis will be placed upon the proper work-up of out-patients as well as in-patients beginning with a thorough, well-focused history and head and neck physical examination, appropriate diagnostic testing, followed by medical or surgical alternatives for management. Attending surgeons or fellows (at CNMC) will be present in the clinic at all times to optimize patient based learning. In-house and ER consultations will be the responsibility of the PGY-2 resident and will be presented to the attending staff at morning and afternoon rounds.

The surgical experience for the PGY-2 resident will include pediatric and adult tracheostomy, tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, endoscopy, septoplasty, myringotomy, and pressure equalization tube insertion. In addition, the first year resident will be exposed to major head and neck surgery, trauma reconstructive surgery and facial plastic surgery as a first assistant.

During this year the resident is expected to identify an area of research and mentor suitable for a research project. A research proposal is due at the end of the second year of training. Finally, one half day per week will be spent with the Audiology and Speech Pathology services, Neuroradiology service, and surgical Pathology service.

Third Year

The PGY-3 year will consist of a six-month rotation at CNMC, a three-month rotation at GWUMC/CCS, and a three-month research rotation. Residents will be expected to have submitted a research proposal suitable for grant submission at the beginning of the third year. The research experience can be arranged for clinical or basic science with a mentor from GWUMC, CNMC or the NIH. Past research projects have included clinical projects in the Voice Treatment Center and cervical soft tissue endoscopic surgery in a porcine model. The research rotation can be extended an additional three months into the fourth year,subject to resident productivity.

The focus of the PGY-3 year experience will be refinement of clinical skills needed for diagnosis and treatment of otolaryngological disease. Residents should also begin to understand the more complex management issues for pediatric otolaryngology. The surgical experience will focus on basic otologic surgery, including tympanoplasty and mastoid surgery. In addition, residents will develop further experience with pediatric bronchoscopy and laryngotracheal reconstruction.

Fourth and Fifth Years

The resident will spend the last two years of the residency as the most senior resident at GWUMC/CCS or at Holy Cross (HC). Six months will be spent at each institution per year.

Holy Cross is a private suburban hospital. This hospital provides the residents with a unique opportunity to work with attending faculty in a private clinic and hospital setting. At Holy Cross, the residents will continue to improve their technical skills in endoscopic sinus surgery, otologic surgery, facial plastic surgery and thyroid/ parathyroid surgery.

At GWUMC/CCS, the resident will develop skills as a teacher, as they assume a greater role in the education of the junior residents and the medical students rotating on the service. Residents will function with more independence in the management of patients with facial plastic needs at the Center for Cosmetic Surgery under the direction of Steven Hopping, M.D. In addition, the senior resident will assume principal responsibility for the busy head and neck trauma service at GWUMC. Residents will continue to advance their clinical and surgical skills in the management of patients with complex voice disorders, head and neck cancer, and otologic disease. The senior/chief resident at GWUMC has the opportunity to operate at Inova Fairfax during the rotation.