Otolaryngology Residency Curriculum

All residents complete a one-year internship of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. The internship is integrated into the department’s residency program and is under its supervision.

The surgical experience includes one-month rotations in plastic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine and critical care. Other rotations during the year include general surgery, thoracic surgery, vascular surgery and pediatric surgery. The rotations in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery are spent at Ben Taub Hospital, the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Texas Children's Hospital. Currently, two months are spent on the otolaryngology service at the MEDVAMC.

The formal otolaryngology - head and neck surgery training consists of four additional years of dedicated clinical experiences. During the four years of training, residents rotate through Houston Methodist Hospital, the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Harris Health System Ben Taub Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Each hospital has comprehensive Otolaryngology - Head and Neck services with outpatient clinics, inpatient services, dedicated operating room time, emergency services, and diagnostic testing.

Having completed the PGY-1 internship, the five clinical residents begin the Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery rotations as year PGY-2.

During the PGY-2 year, residents rotate through four Baylor affiliated Hospitals: Ben Taub Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Texas Children's Hospital. PGY-2 residents, during the first two months, also participate in a six-week basic science course that provides the necessary scientific background and clinical fundamentals for the physician entering this phase of training. Subjects include acoustics and audiology, head and neck anatomy and embryology, temporal bone anatomy, audiovestibular physiology, allergy, head and neck radiology, and otolaryngic-head and neck surgery emergencies.

During the PGY-3 year, residents assume greater responsibilities in patient care and surgery. The typical year includes a dedicated research block and rotations at Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center and MD Anderson. The Texas Children's Hospital rotation includes special exposure to pediatric patients with airway anomalies, head and neck masses, hearing loss, neonatal and pediatric intensive care needs, chronic sinusitis, and congenital disorders.

The PGY-4 year of training provides intensive operating room exposure with rotations at the Ben Taub Hospital, the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, and as Chief Resident at Houston Methodist Hospital. This year offers comprehensive experiences with increasing levels of responsibility in otology, neurotology, skull base surgery, head and neck oncology, facial plastic surgery, reconstructive surgery, maxillofacial surgery, aerodigestive endoscopy, endocrine surgery of the head and neck, endoscopic sinus surgery, microlaryngeal surgery, head and neck pathology, and radiology of the head and neck.

The PGY-5 year of residency is the chief residency year with a three-month rotation at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, six months at Ben Taub Hospital, and three months at UT MD Anderson, with fellow level responsibilities. During this year, the Chief resident is responsible for patients under his/her auspices at these three hospitals during outpatient clinics, inpatient hospitalizations, surgical procedures, and emergency consultations. The chiefs are directly responsible to the attending staff at each hospital. The Chiefs are responsible for overseeing and teaching junior residents in clinic, the operating room, and ER care. Medical students from Baylor College of Medicine rotate throughout the year, and the Chiefs are responsible for teaching the students the head and neck exam as well as basic principles of otolaryngology.

Resident responsibilities and educational goals are level-dependent as the resident progresses from junior to senior resident level. The experience at Ben Taub Hospital allows a comprehensive, hands-on experience with both adult and pediatric general otolaryngology patients as well as trauma patients. Rotations at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center provide unique opportunities in head and neck cancer management, otology, laryngology and facial reconstructive surgery. The Houston Methodist Hospital provides a high volume of specialty referral cases. The UT MD Anderson rotations provide a comprehensive exposure to head and neck cancer cases, with an opportunity to return as a senior level resident fulfilling fellow level responsibilities on a busy head and neck surgery service. Texas Children's Hospital provides experience in all facets of pediatric otolaryngology.

For more information about the program curriculum see the links below:

• Rotations
• Didactic
• Research
• Training Sites