About

Every day, we aspire to Improve Patients’ Lives by Leading Our Advancing Field.

We pride ourselves on accomplishing this in a comprehensive manner across our Research, Education and Patient Care missions while promoting an inclusive and collegial environment.

Advanced patient care

Over the last year, the clinical enterprise has grown through new faculty recruitments, increased productivity, and expansion of services. Neurotology has doubled cochlear implant, acoustic neuroma, and overall surgical volumes. Our Head & Neck Cancer service is busier than ever. Together with our medical and radiation oncology colleagues, we are providing this group of patients the very best care in a truly multidisciplinary way through our weekly Multi-D Clinic.

Our rhinologists and generalists are leveraging their considerable expertise in managing complex inflammatory and neoplastic disorders of the nose and anterior cranial base using the most modern techniques and interventions. Our collaborations with Neurosurgery, Medical Oncology, and Radiation Oncology have never been stronger. We have also begun the task of improving access for our patients. The broad goals of this process improvement initiative are to see the right patient, in the right place, at the right time and facility, with the right information.

A leader in research

In line with our mission of improving patients’ lives, we aspire to translate research findings and technological advances in to clinical solutions. Endoscopic ear surgery, cochlear implant advances, and basic ear & hearing research portends improved outcomes. Head & Neck tumors are being banked in anticipation of personalized medicine approaches. We have recruited new faculty with expertise in HPV-related cancer, tumor heterogeneity/microenvironment, and socioeconomic determinants of health. Our Clinical Outcomes Unit remains a leader in the field.

One indication of our research success is that nearly all of our investigators have an R01 grant from the NIH (some with more than 1) and we rank #5 among Otolaryngology Departments nationally in NIH funding, according to the most recent Blue Ridge Report (FY 2018).

Outstanding training

Washington University is one of the very best places to learn about, experience, and contribute to cutting-edge advances in the field of otolaryngology.

Our residency training program provides a surgically intensive experience with a blend of autonomy and graduated responsibility and exposure to the full breadth of the field. Following residency, our graduates are going on to highly competitive fellowships at prestigious institutions across the continuum.

The NIH T32 funded physician-scientist training program remains a model program for training academic leaders in our field. Our fellowships are also robust, attracting some of the very top residents from across the country.  

The multidisciplinary surgical simulation lab provides a phenomenal opportunity for honing skills and trying new technologies in a safe environment. We are proud to report that top medical students continue to choose our program and we are annually ranked as a premiere residency program (#13 in Doximity 2019).

Humbled by the opportunities and environment we have to improve patients’ lives, we encourage you to take a close look at what we have to offer.

Sincerely,

Craig A. Buchman, MD, FACS
Lindburg Professor and Head