Resident Life

Otolaryngology - Residency

The otolaryngology residency addresses all aspects of the field, including head and neck oncology, postablation and cosmetic reconstructive surgery, bronchoesophagology, pediatric otolaryngology, otology, neurotology, rhinology, head and neck allergy, and immunology. A high faculty-to-resident ratio and large patient population permit training to be tailored to the needs and goals of residents. The faculty consists of seven full-time faculty in basic science and clinical otolaryngology and five clinical faculty. Resources include a temporal bone dissection laboratory; a surgical skills lab; an otoneurological facility for testing hearing loss, dizziness, and brain stem disorders; a peripheral and central auditory pharmacology laboratory; an allergy testing and treatment clinic; and a tinnitus diagnostic clinic. Residents spent the first year rotating through the surgical services, with three rotations in general surgery, and one each in anesthesia, trauma care, neurosurgery and otolaryngology. The second residency year emphasizes physical diagnosis, ambulatory medicine, and mastering basic surgical skills in otolaryngology. Residents rotate through audiology, speech pathology, and the vestibular clinic. Residents participate in pre- and post-operative patient management and perform surgical procedures appropriate to their skill level. Residents also present at conferences and participate in teaching. During the third and fourth year, residents have increased responsibility for operative procedures, conference, and the residents' clinic.

Facial cosmetic cases are performed at an outside facility one hour from Springfield in Peoria, Illinois. Cases are available each week and assigned by the chief resident. As chief resident in the fifth year, residents are responsible for management of the residents' clinic, considered junior attendings, and are given responsibility for supervising junior residents. The chief year is designed to develop independence and surgical skills in complicated and advanced head and neck surgery and otology. The call rotation on Otolaryngology is essentially one weekend a month and one day a week for the first and second Otolaryngology years. The third years will have only a few days a month but will have more back-up responsibilities. The chief year is all back-up call. This training program is designed to fulfill the requirements for board certification in otolaryngology and prepare residents for a full-time academic position or clinical practice in otolaryngology.

This program is fully accredited to fulfill the training requirements for the American Board of Otolaryngology.

Contact Information:

Please feel free to contact our offices at the School of Medicine with any questions you may have concerning the Otolaryngology Residency Program:

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck
Surgery Attn: Jenny Kesselring, Residency Coordinator
Springfield, IL 62794-9662 Phone: 217-545-4777
E-mail: jkesselring@siumed.edu