Intern Year

The internship year consists of twelve one-month rotations, with six months dedicated to Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Interns also rotate through pediatric surgery, endocrine surgery, and critical care (ICU), with additional exposure to oral surgery and radiation oncology.

Training focuses on building proficiency in pre- and post-operative care, alongside foundational operative and clinical skills. In the operating room, interns typically serve as primary surgeon for less complex cases and assist on more advanced procedures. They take primary daytime floor call, with weekend call varying by rotation.

This year also provides a strong understanding of hospital systems and fosters meaningful relationships with colleagues across the A.B. Chandler Medical Center and Veterans Administration Hospital.

PGY-2 to PGY-5

The residency program is designed to ensure all residents receive excellent, well-rounded clinical and surgical training in all aspects of Otolaryngology – HNS. 

Clinical training occurs at multiple sites, including the Ear, Nose, and Throat – Hearing and Balance Clinic, the state-of-the-art Markey Cancer Center Clinic, and the Veterans Affairs Hospital. Operative training occurs within the A.B. Chandler Medical Center, the Center for Advanced Surgery, the Veterans Affairs Hospital, and Good Samaritan Hospital. Additionally, residents spend time in a community-practice setting at St. Claire regional hospital. 

 A multidisciplinary approach exists in all locations, and residents interact extensively with both in-clinic audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

Sample UK Otolaryngology Resident Schedule

Research

Residents are given three total months of dedicated research time to cultivate research projects of their interest under guided mentorship. Two total months are spent as a PGY-3 and one month as a PGY-4.

Allergy and Audiology

We now also incorporate dedicated 2-week allergy and audiology rotation during the intern year. This rotation will allow the resident to immerse themselves in all facets of allergy and audiology, with hands-on experience with activities such as audiograms, allergy vial mixing, etc.

Endocrine Surgery

A dedicated one-month endocrine rotation occurs during the PGY-4 year, where the resident focuses intensively on thyroid and parathyroid surgery as well as in-office ultrasound.