Rhinology Fellowship

The Rhinology Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania has had a long storied tradition of producing leaders in our specialty. Originally started at Penn in 1992 under the leadership of David Kennedy, the Division of Rhinology has grown to encompass four clinical rhinologists, two nurse practitioners, a clinical research nurse, an allergy center and a dedicated Rhinology research laboratory of over ten investigators. Our goal is to provide the highest level of dedicated rhinologic and skull base subspecialty training available to qualified applicants. The training is aimed towards providing an extensive clinical subspecialty experience, as well as opportunities to participate in leading translational research, with the ultimate goal to produce future academic leaders within the specialty. The extensive national and international referral patterns for the rhinologic service at Penn ensure a wide spectrum and high volume of tertiary rhinologic cases. Fellowship surgical experience benefits from the busy practices of four surgeons, and is geared primarily towards the more challenging skull base, orbital, intracranial and revision surgical management issues. The Division of Rhinology performs greater than 550 endoscopic surgeries/year and 125 skull base cases/year, and case mix comprises mainly of complex frontal sinus surgery, revision FESS, benign and malignant sinonasal tumors, pituitary resections, epistaxis surgery, orbital surgery and CSF leaks and encephalocele repair.

Departmental Mission Statement

The Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery is committed to outstanding clinical care, the education of future leaders in our specialty and to advancing knowledge through basic and clinical research. Leading edge clinical care will be provided in a compassionate, patient friendly environment in which the patient always has priority. The Department is resolved to provide a broad based clinical experience to enable residents to become leading clinicians, research opportunities for the development of future clinician/ scientists, and medical student courses which both provide basic knowledge in the specialty and kindle the quest for future knowledge of the field. The Department recognizes that the future of otolaryngology is based upon the continued development of innovative research. The Faculty has a special obligation to be a major national and international force in the development and implementation of advances in our specialty and to both avail itself of, and augment, the research resources available at the medical center. Recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty through maintenance of a collegial, stimulating and progressive academic milieu is critical to our mission.

Requirements For Appointment

Board eligible/Board certified Otolaryngologist
Valid Pennsylvania state license
Applications are taken in the winter and spring for a position beginning July 1 of the subsequent year
Interest in subspecialty Rhinology and Rhinologic research

Fellowship Description

The Fellowship program offers 2 positions to physicians who have completed a 5 year residency in Otolaryngology.
The Fellowship is currently a 1 year clinical/research experience. Consideration is currently being given to the option of two additional years of funded research.
Clinical rotations are provided on the clinical services of Drs. Alexander Chiu, David Kennedy, James Palmer and Bert O'Malley. The extensive national and international referral patterns for the rhinologic service at Penn ensures a wide spectrum and high volume of tertiary rhinologic cases. Fellowship surgical experience is geared primarily towards the more challenging skull base, orbital, intracranial and revision surgical management issues. Combining the caseloads of the four surgeons, there are greater than 600 endoscopic surgeries/year and 175 skull base cases/year, which includes benign and malignant sinonasal tumors, pituitary resections, CSF leaks and encephalocele repair.
The Rhinology Research Laboratory is led by Noam Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Protected time is provided for research and extensive opportunities are available in this well-funded and internationally recongized laboratory. Current research projects involve the investigation of biofilm rhinosinusitis, ciliary physiology of the paranasal sinuses, and novel topical treatments for recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis. Past fellows have also been involved with multiple clinical projects that have resulted in publications and national presentations, and have had many opportunities to collaborate in book chapters and review articles. There are additional research opportunities in the internationally renowned University of Pennsylvania Smell and Taste Center, led by Richard Doty, Ph.D.
The Otolaryngic Allergy Center offers inhalational allergen testing and immunotherapy. Fellows will be instructed on the basics of otolaryngic allergy and how to manage an allergy clinic.
Fellows are paid at University PGY-6 level ($54,000 for FY 2007-08) in addition to full University health benefits.
The fellowship expects and provides the opportunity to present research works at national meetings. Funding is provided for oral presentations.
Fellows participate on an equal basis in attending call schedule (2-3 nights/month) and participate in resident supervision and teaching.
Fellows participate in the instruction of visiting fellows, mini-fellowship participants and as a faculty member in the internationally acclaimed Penn International Rhinology Course.
Fellows present Grand Rounds at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery approximately two times a year.
Fellows participate in Rhinology/Otology teaching conference on a weekly basis.

Current and Past Rhinology Fellows

John Lee - Fellow 2008-2009 - Residency, University of Toronto
Jayakar Nayak - Fellow 2008-2009 - Residency, University of Pittsburgh
Kevin Welch (kevin.welch@uphs.upenn.edu) – Fellow 2007-2008 (Assistant Professor, Loyola University, 7/08)
Brad Woodworth (BWoodwo@hotmail.com) – Assistant Professor, University of Alabama-Birmingham
Satish Govindaraj (satish.govindaraj@mountsinai.org) – Assistant Professor, Mt. Sinai University
Alexis Jackman– Assistant Professor, Montefiore University
Jivianne Lee – Private practice, Los Angelos, CA
Noam Cohen – Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania
Rakesh Chandra – Assistant Professor, Northwestern University
Rodney Schlosser – Associate Professor, Medical University of South Carolina
Andrew Lane – Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins University
Stephanie Joe – Assistant Professsor, University of Illinois-Chicago
Erin Wright – Associate Professor, St. Joseph’s Health Care London, Canada
Peter Hwang – Associate Professor, Stanford University
Richard Orlandi – Associate Professor, University of Utah
Brent Senior – Associate Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill
Eugenia Vining – Clinical Associate Professor, Yale University
Donald Lanza – Private practice, Sinonasal Institute of South Florida

Application

The University of Pennsylvania participates in the Rhinology match. Applications should be filed through www.SFmatch.org with an application deadline of Feb 1st. Applications will be reviewed on an individual basis and interviews will be offered in March and April.

For more information please contact:

Alexander G. Chiu, M.D.
Director, Rhinology Fellowship Program
Department of ORL-HNS
Division of Rhinology
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: (215) 662-2360
Fax: (215) 614-0071