Ear, Nose + Throat (ENT) - Head + Neck Surgery

Postgraduate Residency Training Program

Two residents are selected each year for a five-year commitment.

The clinical progress of each resident is monitored through individual evaluations from both instructors and senior residents following each rotation.  Residents are also expected to maintain a daily surgical log through the ACGME Resident Case Log System.

Summary of Training in Postgraduate Years:

Rotation Schedule

• PGY-1 – Six months General Surgery Internship/Six months Otolaryngology Internship
• PGY-2 -  Junior ENT resident
• PGY-3 -  Mid-Level ENT resident
• PGY-4 - Senior ENT resident
• PGY-5 - Chief ENT resident

PGY-1 – Six months General Surgery Internship/Six months Otolaryngology Internship

Each year, two residents join the training program through the American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery matching system (administered through NRMP). During the internship year, residents will spend a total of six months with the Tufts General Surgery, SICU, Neurosurgery and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery services. They will also spend a total of six months on otolaryngology rotations. In-house call as an intern is approximately one night in four, depending on the specific rotation.

During the surgical internship, the resident is expected to become proficient in inpatient service management and the coordination of outpatient care. They are also expected to acquire practical experience in level-appropriate surgical cases under attending supervision.

PGY-2 – Junior ENT Resident

The PGY-2 resident divides their time between the Otolaryngology services at Tufts Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children's Hospital. Allowing early exposure to the diverse practice of Otolaryngology.

Residents in this year will have a three-month rotation block at the Boston Children's Hospital in the second half of the year, alternating with a three-month rotation block at Tufts Medical Center. They will have a total three-month rotation at Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children's Hospital, alternating with a total three-month rotation at Tufts Medical Center in the first half of the year. They are responsible for the initial evaluation and treatment of patients under the guidance of upper level residents and attending staff. Operative experience includes pediatric endoscopy, foreign body management, myringotomy and pressure equalization tube placement, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

Additionally, the PGY-2 resident gains experience in adult endoscopy, endoscopic sinus surgery, excisional biopsies, treatment of neck abscesses, and submaxillary gland excisions. The resident will also be involved in level-appropriate otologic surgery such as tympanoplasty and mastoid procedures.

PGY-3 - Mid-Level ENT Resident

Residents in this year will have a three-month rotation block at Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children's Hospital and two three-month blocks at Tufts Medical Center. In addition, they will have three months of protected research time.

The three-month research elective is a period during which the resident is expected to focus on a specific research endeavor. Many clinical and basic science research opportunities exist at Tufts Medical Center for development of a resident research project. The resident is expected to plan for this elective prior to beginning the research to optimize his/her time.

PGY-4 - Senior ENT Resident

This year includes four three-month rotation blocks. The rotations are divided as two blocks at the Tufts Medical Center, one block at the ENT Specialists group, and one block at Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children's Hospital (RIH/HCH). This year also includes a one-month block for fellowship interviews.

The PGY-4 resident will participate in the full spectrum of otolaryngologic procedures. They will be expected to demonstrate a leadership role in the house-staff team by coordinating the consult service and the on-call schedule. Additionally, the senior resident plays a large role in the education of medical students and junior residents.

While at Tufts Medical Center, the senior resident gains a rich experience operating with the attending staff during advanced otolaryngologic procedures. The resident is encouraged to assume additional responsibility both within the operating room and in the outpatient clinic. A healthy balance is always maintained between autonomy and attending supervision, which maximizes patient care and resident self-confidence. Call duties at Tufts Medical Center are approximately 1 in 3 from home.

While on rotation at RIH/HCH, the senior serves as the acting chief resident of the service. It is an opportunity for the resident to be active in the more complex otolaryngologic problems and prepare for the upcoming chief year.

PGY-5 - Chief Resident

The chief resident divides the year between two three-month blocks at Tufts Medical Center and one three-month block at both RIH/HCH and ENT Specialists. They are expected to be able to lead the house staff in all daily activities and to become comfortable with the highest level ENT cases. There are no first on-call responsibilities for the chief resident at Tufts Medical Center. The on-call duties of the chief resident are to provide back-up to the junior residents on-call. At RIH/HCH the chief takes about 1 in 4 call from home and every other weekend call from home while on the ENT Specialists rotation.

The chief resident plays a major role in skull base surgery, neurotologic cases, plastic and reconstructive procedures, advanced paranasal and sinus techniques, and free tissue transfer. The goal is to allow the chief to make a smooth transition to the next level as a fellow or attending staff.

The attending staff is committed to assisting the chief in selecting and achieving future career goals. The Program Chair has set the tone for support of the residents’ career decisions so that they will be successful in whatever they may choose. The ENT residents at Tufts Medical Center know that they will remain proud of their academic heritage throughout their careers in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery.

Boston Children's Hospital

Boston Children's Hospital is a premier tertiary referral center for pediatric care. The Tufts MC otolaryngology resident works alongside residents from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Boston University Otolaryngology Programs. During this rotation, residents have the opportunity to practice and learn from internationally-renowned pediatric otolaryngologists. The rotation provides a rich experience in the variety of pediatric otolaryngology and head and neck surgery problems. Call responsibilities are 1:4, in house.

ENT Specialists Group

At the ENT Specialists Group, residents are exposed to an active private otolaryngology practice. This provides an appreciation of the interaction between private practitioners in otolaryngology and community and nearby academic institutions. The exposure helps in giving the house officer more information concerning his/her potential future career and eventual decision concerning private practice versus academic medicine. Furthermore, the surgical experience is considerable in both volume and diversity. The resident achieves additional autonomy in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The resident is on-call from home for two weekends a month; there is no weekday call.

Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children’s Hospital

Our residents rotate in Providence, RI (45 minutes from Boston), where they care for patients primarily at Rhode Island Hospital & Hasbro Children’s Hospital and also at Women & Infants Hospital. All 3 institutions are regional tertiary care referral centers. There are 2-3 residents rotating at a time who work closely with 3 dedicated Otolaryngology PAs, medical students from Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and PA students from Bryant University. During this rotation, residents have the opportunity to work with general otolaryngologists, fellowship-trained subspecialists and Oromaxillofacial Surgeons. In addition to inpatient and OR duties, the residents run several outpatient clinics (General, Otology, Head & Neck, Pediatric) 2-3 afternoons each week. Home-call is taken from a provided apartment on Providence’s East side (5 mins from the hospitals).

Tufts Medical Center

Tufts Medical Center is the primary teaching hospital for the residency program. Tufts Medical Center consists of an adult hospital of 415 beds and a pediatric hospital (Tufts Medical Center) of 128 beds. In this capacity it serves as a major tertiary care referral center for Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Call duties are from home.

Weekly Conference Schedule: 

Wednesday

7:00-7:30 a.m.  Inpatient walk rounds/chalk talks with attendings
7:30-8:00 a.m.  Mock oral board exam: Attending vs. Resident
8:00-9:00 a.m. Head & Neck Radiology Conference 
1:00-2:00 p.m. Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Tumor Conference
1:00-2:00 p.m. Audiology/SLP lectures (Junior residents)
2:30-3:30 p.m. Resident Chapter Review
4:00-6:00 p.m. Didactic Series Lectures (with residents from the Boston University Otolaryngology Residency Program)

Thursday

7:00-8:00 a.m Journal Club / Maxillofacial Trauma Conference / In-Service Review

Course Schedules:

Introduction to Otolaryngology/Crash Course
Didactic Series Course 
Anatomy and Temporal Bone Dissection Course
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Course

Introduction to Otolaryngology/Crash Course (held in conjunction with the BU Otolaryngology Residency Program)

Junior residents are provided with an intensive course on the fundamentals of otolaryngology during the first week of their PGY2 year. There are a total of fifteen topics including the management of trauma, epistaxis, airway obstruction, and advanced examination skills. The course meets for three hours a day and has been highly regarded by the junior residents.

Didactic Series Course (held in conjunction with the BU Otolaryngology Residency Program)

The Tufts and BU residents are provided a year-long schedule of lectures every Wednesday on both clinical and basic science topics including: head and neck cancer, otology, plastics/trauma, laryngology, peds, and rhinology. There are also lecture sessions leading up to the in-service exam date dedicated to reviewing applicable topics.

Anatomy and Temporal Bone Dissection Course (held in conjunction with the BU Otolaryngology Residency Program)

The Anatomy and Temporal Bone Dissection labs begin in December. They take place for 3 hours on Wednesdays, and generally run through the end of January. Temporal Bone (TB) lab is held at the Boston Medical Center campus and the Gross Anatomy (GA) lab is held at the Tufts University School of Medicine campus. Residents are assigned to a group for the entire course and the groups alternate attending either TB or GA lab each week.  Each lab is further split into junior and senior resident labs to ensure that all participants are able to maximally benefit from the course and receive individualized attention.

Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Course

The junior residents are expected to attend an audiology lecture series provided by the Tufts Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. These lectures meet throughout the academic year for one hour/week. The topics covered include: the physics of sound, tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, ABR testing, evaluation of dysphagia and other pertinent topics to speech-language pathology and audiology.

Grand Rounds

On selected Wednesdays, the Department of Otolaryngology conducts departmental Grand Rounds.  Speakers include distinguished leaders in the field of Otolaryngology as well as those in related specialties. Residents also present at Clinical Pathologic Conference (CPC) to discuss areas of interest within Otolaryngology. The quarterly Morbidity and Mortality conference is conducted during this time at the conclusion of each quarter.

Visiting Professor Series

Esteemed colleagues in the field of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery are regularly invited for lectures. This lecture series is held in conjunction with the Boston University Otolaryngology Program and is dedicated to allow for the residents to learn from and meet the leaders in the respective fields of Otolaryngology.

Meetings

Residents are encouraged to attend at least one regional or national conference a year. The New England Otolaryngology Society is a regional meeting that all residents are expected to attend three times a year. Additionally, residents are encouraged and partially supported to attend the Eastern Section meetings, the COSM, and yearly AAO-HNS meetings.

From left to right, Dr. Arnold Lee, Dr. Jonathan Sillman, Dr. Kathryn Noonan, Dr. Jeremiah Tracy, Dr. Alexander Marston, Dr. Miriam O’Leary, Dr. Mark Vecchiotti, Dr. Tiffiny Hron and Dr. Andrew Scott (not pictured Dr. Richard Wein)

Leadership:

Miriam A. O'Leary, MD, FACS
Head and Neck Surgery
Interim Department Chair

Andrew Scott, MD, FACS
Pediatric Otolaryngology
Residency Program Director

Kathryn Noonan, MD
Otology-Neurotology
Associate Residency Program Director

Veronica Carvajal, BS
Residency Coordinator
617-636-7878

Other Tufts Medical Center ENT faculty include:

Arnold Lee, MD – Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Jonathan Sillman, MD – Otology-Neurotology
Mark Vecchiotti, MD – Pediatric Otolaryngology
Richard Wein, MD – Head & Neck Surgery
Tiffiny Hron, MD - Laryngology
Alexander Marston, MD - Pediatric Otolaryngology, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Jeremiah Tracy, MD - Head & Neck Surgery

The faculty of Boston Children's Hospital includes:

Eelam Adil, MD
Jennifer Brooks, MD
Jacob Brodsky, MD
Sukgi Choi, MD
Michael Cunningham, MD
Anne Hseu, MD
Margaret A. Kenna, MD
Gi-Soo Lee, MD
Greg Licameli, MD
Roger Nuss, MD
Laurie Ohlms, MD
Dennis Poe, MD
Reza Rahbar, MD
Mark Volk, MD
Karen Watters, MD
Kenneth Whittemore, MD

The faculty of ENT Specialists, Inc. includes:

Seema Byahatti, MD
Walid Dagher, MD
Jagdish Dhingra, MD
Douglas O'Brien, MD
Pratik Pradhan, MD
Russell Shu, MD
H. Dennis Snyder, MD
Ameer Shah, MD
Kimberly Russell, MD

The faculty of Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children’s Hospital includes:

Andrew Burchard, MD
Thomas DellaTorre, MD
Brian Duff, MD
Martin Elson, DMD
Sharon Gibson, MD
Frederick Godley, MD
Ritu Goel, MD
Jan Groblewski, MD
Robert McRae, MD
Martin Papazian, MD
Robert Risica, MD
Charles Ruhl, MD
John Tarro, MD
Douglas Emery, MD
David Bick, MD
Zachary Quay-de la Vallee, MD

The Tufts Medical Center Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery Residency Program utilizes the ERAS application process and participates in the NRMP match. Each year, two residents are accepted into the five-year program. 

Application Guidelines:

• The basic requirements for application submission are outlined by ERAS through AAMC
• Good USMLE Step scores  - typically 230 or higher for each level; please note, you have to have taken and passed both Step 2 CK and CS before match day
• Academic achievement in medical school – Honors in as many rotations as possible, particularly the surgical specialties 
• AOA status is a favorable attribute but not essential
• Reasonable commitment to community service and extracurricular humanitarian efforts
• Research – basic science or clinically based – is always encouraged, but extensive periods of time dedicated to research is not essential
• Publications/Presentations – poster presentations, oral presentations, and publication within peer reviewed journals is encouraged but not absolutely essential 
• Rotation time at our facility - we encourage candidates to consider rotating for a period of time within our department, although this is not essential

Our program begins reviewing applications in October of each year and issues invitations on a rolling basis shortly thereafter. Interviews are generally held on two dates in December. For more information please contact: 

Veronica Carvajal, BS
Residency Program Coordinator
Email: vcarajal@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
Phone: 617-636-7878

 

Back row from left to right: Dr. Genevieve Spagnuolo, Dr. Kajal Dalal, Dr. Peter Steinwald, Dr. Emily Gall, Dr. Ramya Bharathi, Dr. David O'Neil Danis, Dr. Craig Hanna, Dr. Christopher Shumrick.  Front row from left to right: Dr. Tania Hassanzadeh, Dr. Samih Nassif, Dr. Michelle White, Dr. Bella Onwumbiko.

Current Residents

PGY-5

Tania Hassanzadeh, MD
Education: University of Arizona College of Medicine
Fellowship Plan: Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery, Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel, Boston, MA

Christopher Shumrick, MD
Education: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Fellowship Plan: Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery, Dr. Yadro Ducic, Fort Worth, TX

PGY-4

Ramya Bharathi, MD
Education: Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Emily Gall, MD
Education: Wake Forest University School of Medicine

PGY-3

Bella Onwumbiko, MD
Education: University of Maryland School of Medicine

Peter Steinwald, MD
Education: Tulane University School of Medicine

PGY-2

Craig Hanna, MD
Education: Tufts University School of Medicine

O'Neil Danis, MD
Education: Boston University School of Medicine

PGY-1

Kajal Dalal, MD
Education: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Genevieve Spagnuolo, MD
Education: Tufts University School of Medicine

 

Recent Graduates

2022

• Samih Nassif, MD - Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery Fellowship, Advent Health, Celebration, FL
• Michelle White, MD - General Otolaryngology practice at Southcoast Health Ear, Nose & Throat, North Dartmouth, MA

2021

• Rebecca Compton, MD Pediatric Otolaryngology fellowship, University of Minnesota
• Jennifer Harb, MD Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery fellowship, University of Miami
  

2020

• Devin Ruiz, MD, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Quincy practice
• Jonathon Simmonds, MD, Rhinology Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston MA

2019

• Erin Haser, MD, Massachusetts ENT Associates, Chelmsford, MA and Nashua, NH
• Zachary Quay-de la Vallee, MD, Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Providence, RI
  

2018

• William Kim, MD, Otolaryngology Associates, P.C., Fairfax, VA
• Ameer Shah, MD, ENT Specialists, Brockton, MA

2017

• Nizar Taki, MD, Facial Plastic Surgery Fellowship, Toronto, ON
• Christopher Tsang, MD, Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship, Wilmington, DE

2016

• David Bick, MD, Rhode Island Ear, Nose and Throat Physicians, Pawtucket, RI
• Anju Patel, MD, Laryngology fellowship, Emory Voice Center

2015

• Walid Dagher, MD, ENT Specialists, Brockton, MA
• Daniel Flis, MD, Head & Neck Oncologic Surgery Fellowship, University of California San Francisco 
• Stanley Voigt, MD, Associates in Otolaryngology, Alexandria, VA

2014

• Victor Chung, MD, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, University of Illinois at Chicago
  
• Jeremiah Tracy, MD, Head & Neck Oncologic and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, University of North Carolina

2013

• Emmy Wu, MD, Otology Fellowship with Dr. Herbert Silverstein, Sarasota FL

2012

• Anish Parekh, MD, Private Practice, Miami, FL
• Erik Berg, MD, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA

2011

• Heather Gomes, MD, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE
• Nitin Bhatia, MD, ENT and Allergy Associates, White Plains, NY

2010

• Urmen Desai, MD, Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Fellowship, Beverly Hills Institute of Plastic Surgery
• Aric Park, MD, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, Lasky Clinic in Beverly Hills and the University of Southern California

2009

• Mariah Salloum, MD, Boston ENT Associates, Needham, MA
• Tejas Raval, MD, Southside Regional Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists, Petersburg, VA

2008

• Andrew Burchard, MD, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, Toronto General Hospital
• Adarsh Vasanth, MD, New England ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery, North Andover, MA

2007

• Daniel Gold, MD, ENT & Allergy Associates, White Plains, NY
• Michelle Yoon, MD, Capital Region Otolaryngology Head and Neck Group, Albany, NY

2006

• William Numa, MD, Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, Tulane University
• Deirdre Larrier, MD, Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship, Children’s National Medical Center

2005

• Rahul Shah, MD, Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship, Boston Children's Hospital
• Tulio Valdez, MD, Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship, Texas Children’s Hospital

2004

• Arnold Lee, MD, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Ilya Perepelitsyn, MD, Ear, Nose & Throat Specialty Care of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Websites:

• Student Programs of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
• Headmirror 
• Otomatch

Podcasts:

• ENT in a Nutshell — Headmirror
• OtoMentor
• FrequENTcy (AAO-HNS)
• Rx: Fierce

Books:

• Primary Care Otolaryngology (short introduction to Otolaryngology sponsored by the AAO-HNS)
• Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery: Clinical Reference Guide, 4th Edition, Raza Pasha, MD, Justin S. Golub, MD (ISBN-13: 978-1597565325)
• ENT Secrets, 4th Edition, Melissa A. Scholes, MD, Vijay R Ramakrishnan, MD (ISBN-13: 978-0323298568)