Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary • Children’s Hospital • Beth Israel Deaconess • Brigham & Women’s • Massachusetts General Hospital
Harvard
Otolaryngology
J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
Note from the Chairman
Note from the Program Director
Joseph B. Nadol, Jr., MD
I certainly hope that you find this
sixth issue of Harvard Otolaryngology
informative, enjoyable, and
interesting. It provides an update on
ongoing activity, including faculty
development at Brigham and Women’s
Hospital, Children’s Hospital Boston,
Beth Israel Hospital, and
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
In addition, there is information
concerning the affiliation agreement between Mass Eye
and Ear and Mass General. Dr. Mike Cunningham
provides an update of our residency training program,
including the agreement to increase the number of
residents. Since the last issue was published in 2008, there
are several faculty members that have been promoted or
recruited. There is a section highlighting our five new
professors as well as photographs of our graduating
residents and clinical fellows.
Mike Cunningham, who has ably served as Director of
our residency program, acknowledges a number of faculty
involved in various aspects of the training mission. We
wish Mike Cunningham every professional success as he
takes over the position of Otolaryngologist-in-Chief at
Children’s Hospital Boston. Replacing him will be
difficult. We are fortunate that Chris Hartnick has agreed
to serve as Director of our Division of Pediatric
Otolaryngology, and Stacey Gray has assumed the
position of Director of the residency training program.
We take this opportunity to thank you for your
interest and support of the Department’s activities.
Michael J. Cunningham, MD
Transitions
Residency training is a constant
series of transitions. Some of
these transitions are quite
concrete. Every July, a newly
selected group of medical school
graduates arrives, the current
residents move up the PGY
ladder, and we bid goodbye to
four individuals who join
community practices or begin subspecialty fellowships
within days to weeks thereafter.
The more significant transition, however, is much
more subtle and complex. How we govern this
transition from novice otolaryngologist to “attending
equivalent” surgeon and how we judge its success are
questions that we as an individual residency program
and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Education
(ACGME) as a national governing body continue to
struggle with.
One of the foundations of learning is clearly a sound
knowledge base. This knowledge base is provided by our
weekly educational block curriculum. This curriculum
is revised every two years by the Committee on
In this issue ...
News from:
Mass Eye and Ear
Children’s
Beth Israel
Brigham & Women’s
Features:
Alumni & Faculty News
Meet the New Professors
Graduation 2009
Graduation 2010
Newsletter of the Department of Otology and Laryngology of the Harvard Medical School
Resident Didactic Education, chaired by our Associate
Residency Director Dr. Stacey Gray. Our goals are not
only to meet American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto)
Scope of Knowledge requirements, but also to
incorporate novel topics, to broaden faculty participation,
and to increase our senior residents’ teaching
responsibilities.
John Wooden, the renowned coach of the UCLA
basketball dynasty, described four laws of learning:
explanation, demonstration, imitation and repetition. The
commitment to excellent patient care that our residents
witness on a daily basis within the offices and operating
rooms of the Harvard otolaryngology faculty provide both
the explanation and demonstration components.
Imitation and particularly repetition ideally follow.
The mutual value of faculty–resident mentorship
cannot be overstated. The previous Dean of the
Harvard Medical School, Daniel Tosteson, was quoted to
say – “when I ask an educated person ‘what is the most
significant experience in your education?’ I almost never
get back an idea, but almost always a person”. I am sure
our residents would echo Dean Tosteson’s sentiments. I
also know the wonderful privilege of receiving the
William Montgomery Teaching Award given annually
by our graduating residents; Dr. Derrick Lin is the most
Harvard
Otolaryngology
Harvard Otolaryngology is the newsletter of the
alumni and staff of the Department of Otology and
Laryngology of Harvard Medical School. Additional
copies or subscription requests may be sent to:
Ms. Barbara Beckman-Beard
Associate Director of Faculty Services and Education
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
243 Charles St.
Boston, MA 02114
617-573-3654 (ph)
617-573-3939 (fax)
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Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
recent recipient.
We also strive to teach those interpersonal and
communication skills which enhance our residents’
exchange of information with patients and patients’
families, and to instill in them a commitment to carry
out their professional responsibilities in accordance with
ethical principles. I am proud to say that we have
initiated a novel series of lectureships focusing on
quality, humanism and professionalism under the
directorship of Drs. Paul Konowitz and Stacey Gray, and
that we are the first otolaryngology training program in
the country to take part in an empathy training course
coordinated by one of our MGH psychiatric colleagues.
We continue to emphasize a competency-based
education model with specialty specific objectives. We
use an array of objective structured assessments of
technical skills (OSATS) to document individual
resident proficiency in common ORL surgical
procedures (a current ABOto requirement). We also
conduct an annual structured oral examination for our
PGY-4 and PGY-5 residents, incorporating a clinical
practice instrument designed to more objectively judge
their diagnostic differential, therapeutic decision-making
and complication management abilities. Dr. Mark Volk
at the Children’s Hospital has further expanded upon
this concept by using a simulation model to assess our
residents’ emergency care capabilities in a
multidisciplinary systems-based practice format.
Academic achievement remains a cornerstone of our
residency training experience. Our residents continue
to present at regional and national meetings, and they
publish in our specialty’s most prestigious journals. For
example, Dr. Linda Lee received the first place resident
clinical research award this year from the American
Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
for her work correlating office nasal endoscopy findings
with sinus disease severity under the tutelage of Dr. Neil
Bhattacharyya. And Dr. Josef Shargorodsky received
national recognition for his article in the Journal of the
American Medical Asssociation (JAMA) on adolescent
hearing loss based on work he performed at the
Harvard School of Public Health under the guidance
of Dr. Ron Eavey. The Jeffrey Harris Research Award
has also been established to annually recognize the best
FOCUS research project of our graduate residents; Dr.
Margo Benoit and her faculty mentors Drs. Don
See Program Director’s Note, page 10
What’s New At
Mass Eye and Ear
By Joseph B. Nadol, Jr., MD
Highlights of patient care and research
Division of General Otolaryngology
We welcome six new faculty members, including Allan
Goldstein and Benjamin Bleier at the Infirmary; David
Lesnik at MEEI/Stoneham; Mandana Namiranian
at MEEI/Quincy; and Brian Park at MEEI/Newton
Wellesley. Dr. Bleier will spend 50% of his professional
time working in the area of immunology of disorders
of the nose and paranasal sinuses. We also welcome
a long time member of the medical staff, Stephen
Smith, into a new capacity as Medical Director of
the newest suburban center, MEEI/Concord. He will
be joined by Dr. Ayesha Khalid who will serve as a
clinical associate at that center. Dr. Khalid has a special
interest in rhinology and paranasal sinus disease. Dr.
Stacey Gray was the recipient of the Montgomery
Award for Excellence in Teaching given by the 2010
graduating residents and has been appointed as Director
of the residency training program in OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery. Drs. Metson, Poe, Gray, and
Holbrook were co-directors of a CME course entitled
“Endoscopic Surgery of the Sinuses and Eustachian
Tube.” Drs. BuSaba, Gray, and Holbrook serve as codirectors of the Annual Public Forum on Sinusitis. The
Infirmary opened a new suburban center in conjunction
with Compass Medical Group in East Bridgewater, MA.
in Teaching. Anthony
Nichols, graduate of
2008, was awarded
the Jeffrey P. Harris
MD,PhD Prize for
Excellence in Research
by a graduating resident
for his research work
mentored by Dr. Jim
Rocco, and also received
the Chief Resident Teaching Award bestowed by fellow
residents. Dr. Deschler co-directed a successful CME
course “Update in Head and Neck Cancer” in 2008 and
in 2010. The annual Head and Neck Cancer Awareness
week, which sponsored free cancer screenings, was
directed by Dr. Kevin Emerick and his head and neck
staff.
Division of Laryngology, Voice and Speech
Drs. Ramon Franco and Phillip Song co-directed the
“Laryngology Disorders Update” in 2009. Dr. Song
directed a CME Stroboscopy course here in the Voice
Lab in September 2010.
Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
We welcome Dr. Jaimie DeRosa as the newest member
of the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Service.
Dr. Tot Tan, a dermatologist, has been recruited to serve
as the Director of the Outpatient Laser Center, now
Division of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery
under construction on the 9th floor, adjacent to the Facial
Drs. Gregory Randolph and Daniel Deschler were
Plastics Service. The faculty of the Division continues
chosen as members of the Steering Committee for the
their wonderful collaboration with the R.O.S.E. Fund
World Congress on Thyroid Cancer held in Toronto in
for abused and battered women. Members of the
August 2009. Dr. Randolph received a Letter of Merit
Plastics Division also continue their annual Medical
from Governor Deval Patrick for his “outstanding and
Missions for Children in Ecuador in April. Dr. Richard
dedicated commitment to the field of thyroid oncology
Gliklich has been promoted to the rank of Professor
and surgery” and a Certificate of Merit from the AAOof Otology and Laryngology. Robin Lindsay, who
HNS for directing a delegation to Russia to meet with
will join the Plastics service in 2012, was the recipient
Russian leaders in Otolaryngology. Dr. Greg Randolph
of the 2009 Sir Harold Delf Gillies Award from the
co-directed a successful CME course, “Surgery of the
American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive
Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands.”
Surgery Foundation in recognition for the best basic
science paper written by a Fellow, entitled “Daily facial
Division of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
stimulation improves recovery after facial nerve repair.”
Dr. Daniel Deschler was nominated for the 2007
Dr. Jessica Fewkes directed a free skin cancer screening
Harvard Medical School Faculty prize for Excellence
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
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clinic for the community in June 2009. Drs.
Mack Cheney and Tessa Hadlock co-direct
a Facial Nerve Research and Training fund
sponsored by the Amelia Peabody Foundation
and plan an international course in management of facial
nerve disorders for 2013.
Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology
We are sorry to see Dr. Ron Eavey leave us, but we are
very proud of him in his new capacity as Chairman
of the Department of Otolaryngology at Vanderbilt
University. Michael Cunningham received the 2009
Sylvan Stool Award for Excellence in Teaching and
Service given by the Society for Ear, Nose, and Throat
Advances in Children (SENTAC). Dr. Eavey and two
of his research fellows, Maria Artunduaga and Lourdes
Quintanilla-Dieck won the William P. Potsic Basic
Science Award for their manuscript entitled “Genetics
of congenital external ear malformation in monozygotic
twins.” Dr. Christopher Hartnick served as co-director
of a course entitled “Update on the Pediatric Airway,
Voice and Swallowing” in April 2009. Dr. Cunningham
has accepted the position of Otolaryngologist-in-Chief
at Children’s Hospital, Boston, and Dr. Chris Hartnick
has assumed the position of Chief of the Division of
Pediatric Otolaryngology at MEEI.
Division of Otology, Neurotology, Audiology,
Cochlear Implant Research Laboratory, Vestibular
Laboratory
We welcome Konstantina Stankovic, MD, PhD and
Daniel Lee, MD to the full time staff at the Infirmary.
Saumil Merchant and Steven Rauch were promoted
to the rank of Professor in 2008. Dr. Nadol served
as President of the American Otological Society and
received the Shambaugh Prize in Otology from the
Collegium Oto-Rhino-Laryngologicum Amicitiae
Sacrum for outstanding scientific contribution to inner
ear research. Daniel Lee was the recipient of the 2008
Norman Knight Leadership Development Award.
Saumil Merchant was the recipient of the inaugural
Papparella Lectureship Award given by the University of
Minnesota and the International Hearing Foundation
for his outstanding Achievements in scientific and
clinical otology and neurotology. Adrian Priesol, MD
an otoneurologist, received the 2008 Eleanor and
Miles Shore 50th Anniversary Fellowship Program for
Scholars in Medicine at the Harvard Medical School.
Drs. Merchant and McKenna co-directed a CME course
entitled “Update on Otology and Otologic Surgery,”
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which was held in conjunction with the Triennial
meeting of the International Otopathology Society
(HFS Society) in June 2010. Dr. Kujawa, Director of
Audiology, directed an Annual Public Forum entitled
“Have you Heard.”
Research News
Our newest faculty recruit, Dr. Dan Polley, arrived in
March 2010 from the Department of Otolaryngology
at Vanderbilt University. His interest is neural plasticity
of the auditory cortex, especially that associated with
peripheral hearing loss. A new laboratory, “The Neural
Plasticity Research Unit” was completed in February
2010 on the 4th floor of the connecting building.
During the past year members of our research faculty
were promoted to the rank of Professor, including John
Guinan and Bertrand Delgutte. Jennifer Melcher,
PhD joined the Scientific Advisory Committee of
the American Tinnitus Association and also was
appointed to the Editorial Board of JARO, the journal
of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology.
Ruth Ann Eatock presented the key note speech at
the EAR meeting at Columbia University in June
2010 and has been elected as a Vice Chair for the
Gordon Research Conference meeting scheduled for
July 2012. Christopher Halpin, PhD was awarded a
Conference Grant from the NIDCD to organize the
11th International Mechanics of Hearing Workshop
to be held in Williamstown, Mass in July 2011. The
Eaton Peabody Laboratory is grateful for philanthropic
support from a variety of sources, including $250,000
from the Tillotson Foundation earmarked to purchase
a new confocal microscope. Eleven faculty members
individually received stimulus grants sponsored by the
NIDCD in 2010.
Affiliation between Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary and Massachusetts General Hospital
As of October 2009, an affiliation agreement between
the two hospitals has brought us closer together.
Although the two hospitals remain corporately separate,
the Departments of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology
at MEEI are now formally recognized by the MGH
as their Departments as well. This arrangement will
make more seamless ongoing collaborations and will
provide opportunities for the Department to become
more involved in the clinical care, research, and teaching
programs of our neighbor. g
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
What’s New At Children’s
By Margaret Kenna, MD, MPH
Leadership change: Since the last newsletter in 2008,
there have been many changes in the Department. Dr.
Gerald B. Healy, Chair of the department for thirty-two
years, retired in July 2009. Dr. Healy, assisted by Dr.
Trevor McGill, built the largest pediatric Otolaryngology
Department in the country, which now has nearly 180
employees, including fourteen full time Otolaryngology
faculty, three fellows, thirty-one audiologists and twentyeight speech and language pathologists. The Children’s
Hospital Boston Waltham site houses the Deaf and Hard
of Hearing Program, the cochlear implant program, and
the Communication Enhancement programs. Through
this large group, full service Otolaryngology, audiology
and speech services are provided to all five Children’s
Hospital locations. A Festschrift and gala dinner were
held in Dr. Healy’s honor on Sept. 25, 2010 at the time
of the annual American Academy of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery meeting which was held in
Boston. Dr. Healy is currently a Senior Fellow at the
Institute for Healthcare Improvement focusing on
surgical safety, peer-review, and quality and safety
programming for department chairs.
After Dr. Healy stepped down, Greg Licameli, MD,
MHCM very ably directed the Department as the
Interim Chair, assisted by Dr. Dwight Jones (clinical
operations), Dr. Margaret Kenna (Research and
Education), and Dr. Trevor McGill. New initiatives
started during this time include the building of a
Vestibular Laboratory at the Children’s Hospital
Waltham site, and continued build-out of the Children’s
Hospital Peabody and South Shore sites.
After a nationwide search, Dr. Michael Cunningham,
who currently heads the Pediatric Otolaryngology
division at the MEEI, has been appointed as the new
Otolaryngologist-in-Chief at the Children’s Hospital
Boston, starting Dec.1, 2010. Some of the initiatives
which will go forward under his leadership include
eventual ACGME approval of the Fellowship training
program as well as expansion of both the basic science
and clinical research
programs. Given Dr.
Cunningham’s long
tenure at the MEEI, a
closer relationship
between the two Pediatric
Otolaryngology groups
will likely occur as well.
Faculty Clinical and
Research Activities: The
Faculty in CHB ORL
has been very productive
since the last newsletter.
Dr. Trevor McGill has
been an important
influence as the leadership
is undergoing change; he Margaret Kenna, MD, MPH
is deeply involved in our hospitalist program (Chief of
Service or COS) program. Dr. Dwight Jones continues
his work on the Clinical Operations side of the
Department. His clinical and research work is
concentrated in the areas of cystic fibrosis and sinus
disease, surgical management of disease of the tonsils
and adenoids, and airway management. Dr. Margaret
Kenna remains involved in the Cochlear Implant
program, runs the Hearing loss program, and serves as
the Director of Clinical Research. Her research focuses
on hearing loss due to Usher syndrome, congenital
cytomegalovirus, and enlarged vestibular aqueducts, and
she is involved in the development of an NIH-funded
web-based hearing loss database in collaboration with
the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition to
being the acting Chair, Dr. Greg Licameli directs the
Cochlear Implant program and has research interests in
the areas of cochlear implantation and PFAPA, a poorly
defined inflammatory disease that often improves with
tonsillectomy. Dr. Mark Volk spearheads the successful
Simulation Program in Pediatric ORL, with every
resident and Fellow who rotates through Children’s
being involved in the program. This program now serves
as a template for a hospital-wide roll-out of simulation
and safety activity. Dr. David Roberson is Director of
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
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Implementation in the CHB Program for
Patient Safety and Quality. In addition to
chairing the PPSQ Implementation Committee,
in 2010 he was appointed co-chair of the
Children’s Hospital Committee for Integration
and Care Coordination, which has been charged by the
CEO with improving care coordination across all
domains of care, including inpatient, specialty
outpatient, and interactions between the hospital and
primary care providers. His research focuses on the role
of cognitive complexity in medical errors. Dr. Reza
Rahbar directs the CADD (Center for Aero-Digestive
Disorders) program, a multi-specialty program involving
GI, pulmonary and ORL, and which recently
sponsored a very successful Conference at CHB. His
research involves head and malignancies as well as the
study of laryngeal clefts. Dr. Roger Nuss directs the
Pediatric Voice Program and, in conjunction with Plastic
Surgery and Speech and Language Pathology, the
Velopharyngeal Dysfunction Program. In addition, Dr.
Nuss and Pulmonology run the Exercise clinic, where
the airway and voice can be studied simultaneously
during active exercise. Dr. Laurie Ohlms remains very
involved in our satellite operations as well as the
programs in Down Syndrome and Hearing Loss. Dr.
Manali Amin is the Department’s representative for QI
and QA and very involved in the development of quality
improvement programs and electronic medical records
for the hospital. As an extension of this interest, she is
involved in a program to better diagnose and manage
children who have sleep disturbance. Dr. Dennis Poe
has spent 18 of the last 24 months on research leave at
the University of Tampere, Finland working on several
projects, including biofilms in the eustachian tube and
a trial of balloon dilatation of the eustachian tube. He is
one of the editors, along with Julianna Gulya and Lloyd
Minor, of the newly published 6th Edition of the classic
Glasscock and Shambaugh’s Surgery of the Ear. Dr.
Kenneth Whittemore is on the CHB Public Policy
Committee and has spent the last 3.5 years developing
our South Shore program. In addition, he has developed
a research interest in conductive hearing loss that persists
after middle ear fluid has resolved. Dr. Gi Soo Lee, our
newest faculty member, was a fellow with us from 20082009, and then obtained a Masters in Education from
Harvard University in June 2010. He joined us in July
2010 and is very interested in curriculum development
and integration of teaching across all levels of training.
Dr. Quinton Gopen, a neurotologist, returned to the
west coast in March 2010 to join the UCLA faculty.
6
He continues to work in the research areas of superior
semicircular canal dehiscence and enlarged vestibular
aqueducts.
CHB Otolaryngology Basic Science Program: Dr.
Gabriel Corfas heads the Laboratory for Cellular and
Molecular Hearing Research. His laboratory is studying
the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate the
formation, function and maintenance of the cochlear
and vestibular sensory epithelia. Using mouse models,
Dr. Corfas and co-workers have identified molecules that
regulate the survival of primary auditory neurons and
the formation of synapses by vestibular hair cells. These
studies provide insights into the causes of deafness and
vestibular disorders. Dr. Corfas’ laboratory also studies
the nature and roles of the interactions between axons in
peripheral nerves and their associated supporting cells.
Through this research, he identified a small molecule
that when applied to the skin can prevent and reverse
the nerve damage underlying the pathophysiology of
neuropathy. Based on this finding, he has developed a
topical formulation that may succeed in treating certain
peripheral neuropathies. Twenty million people in
Europe and the US suffer from peripheral neuropathy
and there is no treatment other than alleviating
symptoms, thus making this an exciting and cutting
edge discovery. New initiatives include expanding the
otolaryngology basic research science efforts through
recruitment of new faculty.
Communication Disorders: Howard Shane, PhD
serves as the Director of the Center for Communication
Enhancement within the Department and oversees six
specific programs:
• Speech-Language Pathology Program (Director,
Geralyn Harvey Woodnorth, MA, CCC-SLP)
• Autism Language Program (Director, Howard Shane,
PhD)
• Augmentative Communication Program (Director,
John Costello, MA, CCC-SLP)
• Diagnostic Audiology (Director, Brian Fligor, ScD)
• Habilitative Audiology (includes Cochlear Implant
Program) (Director, Marilyn Neault, PhD)
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program (Director, Terrell
Clark, PhD)
Dr. Howard Shane, along with Sharon Weiss-Kapp,
recently published “Visual Language in Autism”. Dr.
Shane also recently received its highest Honor from the
American Speech Language and Hearing Association.
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
See What’s New at Children’s, page 9
What’s New At
Brigham & Women’s
Rhinology. He continues to
mentor residents and
students’ research, and many
The Division of Otolaryngology at Brigham and
of his mentees have been
Women’s Hospital (BWH) has been working in close
selected to present their
collaboration with the leadership of BWH to improve
research work as well receive
the quality and safety of patient care at our hospital
awards. He maintains a busy
as well as the level of professionalism across the
institution. In addition to having the pleasure of being clinical practice in rhinology,
part of the Harvard Otolaryngology Residency Training laryngology and sleep apnea.
Program, we continue to be a major teaching site for
Dr. Laura Goguen continues
the Harvard medical students as well as working with
the Department of Surgery Education Office to provide her involvement in
otolaryngology teaching at a
a valuable teaching experience for the surgery interns.
local and national level. She
Our faculty provides one to one preceptorship for
Jo Shapiro, MD
is an integral member of the
various trainees including primary care medicine
Head and Neck Program at the DFCI providing clinical
residents, allergy/immunology fellows, oral medicine
and research based care. Her clinical research explores
residents, and medical students.
issues related to dysphagia after chemoradiation therapy
and neck management in head and neck cancer. She
Dr. Donald Annino works collaboratively in clinical,
corroborates with the thoracic surgery service to provide
teaching and research endeavors with the Dana
Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI)/BWH Head and Neck novel combined antegrade, retrograde esophageal
dilation for patients with complete esophageal stenosis,
Oncology Program as well as with the Department
and she has published manuscripts, given talks and
of Neurosurgery in the BWH Endoscopic Skull Base
presented posters at national meetings on these topics.
Center. He was honored by the BWH Neurosurgery
She received a Partners in Excellence Award for her role
Department for exceptional collaboration. He is the
in the dysphagia management team at BWH and DFCI.
director of the newly developing TORS (transoral
robotic surgery) program at BWH. He was a member
Dr. Daniel Lee, as a joint recruit with MEEI, is our
of the BWH facial transplant team. He has a highly
division neurotologist. He contributes to our division by
specialized surgical practice that includes head and
neck cancer surgery, reconstructive surgery and anterior taking care of our patients needing otologic or
neurotologic management in collaboration with BWH’s
skull base surgery.
neurosurgeons.
Dr. Neil Bhattacharyya, Associate Division Chief,
Dr. Carl Norris is the surgical director the DFCI/BWH
published numerous studies on the diagnosis and
Oncology Program where he continues his involvement
treatment of acute and chronic sinusitis in addition to
in the clinical, research and teaching enterprises. He is
outcomes research for other diseases such as papillary
one of the most valued educators in our department.
thyroid cancer and sinus cancer. He plays a national
role in developing evidence-based guidelines for
Dr. Keith Saxon specializes in voice, swallowing and
otolaryngology. He is the Associate Editor for
Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, and serves on airway problems. He has a strong commitment to eduthe editorial boards for multiple publications, including cational leadership and is the BWH Site Director for the
Harvard Residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck
the Laryngoscope and the American Journal of
By Jo Shapiro, MD
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
7
Surgery. He also directs the HMS Advanced
Clinical Otolaryngology elective, and he is the main preceptor for the BWH interns, oral
pathology fellow and sleep medicine fellow. He has been
a leader in the hospital’s perioperative quality and process
improvement efforts. He is a member of and leader in
various task forces and committees to improve
communications and flow with the goals of increased
patient and healthcare professional satisfaction.
What’s New At
Beth Israel
Dr. Jo Shapiro, Division Chief, developed and is directing
the new Center for Professionalism and Peer Support at
BWH. The Center’s mission is to support a culture that
values and promotes mutual respect, trust and teamwork.
The Center has promoted and expanded such programs as
the Professionalism Initiative, Culturally Competent
Leadership, Peer Support, Disclosure and Apology
Coaching, and the Defendant Support Group. She is the
past president of the Society of University
Otolaryngologists. She is the recent recipient of the
Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Compassionate Caregiver
Award. She continues her leadership and teaching at a local
and national level in various aspects of medicine including:
professionalism, giving difficult feedback; disclosure and
apology, peer support and oropharyngeal dysphagia.
Our division is graced by a team of committed, highly
professional people who all provide excellent patient care.
Pam Lynn Harvey, MS, CCC-SLP leads the Voice
Pathology service; Sara Springer, Au.D, CCC-A leads our
Audiology service, Peg Toro, Au.D, CCC-A directs the
newborn hearing screening program; and PJ Su, CCC-SLP,
leads the team of Speech/ Swallowing that provides Speech
and Swallowing evaluation and treatment for the entire
inpatient and outpatient population at BWH and DFCI.
We welcome Lisa Batchelder, our new Division
Administrator who leads our entire staff and who interfaces
with the administrators at BWH and particularly in the
Department of Surgery. We have an extraordinarily
committed group of talented staff.
Our division, department and hospital are working closely
together to develop creative processes and solutions to the
upcoming changes anticipated for health care. Our whole
team continues to maintain a supportive and collegial
environment. g
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Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
By Robert Frankenthaler, MD
The Department of
Otolaryngology and Head
and Neck Surgery at the Beth
Israel Deaconess Hospital
is in the process of a major
transformation. We are
recruiting two surgeons, a
Laryngologist and an
Otologist with fellowship
training. We are in the
process of deciding how best
to reconfigure our current
footprint in order to
accommodate state of the
Robert Frankenthaler, MD
art equipment along with
providing exceptional care. We are establishing a network
connection with the electronic medical record so that our
exams will be available for referring physicians,
multidisciplinary conferences, and in the operating room.
This will also help us develop a comprehensive clinical
database. Our program is an active participant in both the
cutaneous and head and neck multidisciplinary teams and
conferences. This will be an exciting year with dramatic
changes in the services we can offer. g
Alumni and
Faculty News
Promotions
Professor
Michael Cunningham, MD ­(2/10)
Richard Gliklich, MD (7/09)
Conrad Wall, III, PhD (1/10)
Bertrand Delgutte, PhD (9/10)
William F. Sewell, PhD (10/10)
Associate Professor
Zheng Yi Chen, PhD (10/08)
Tessa Hadlock, MD (12/08)
Chris Halpin, PhD (2/10
Jennifer Melcher, PhD (7/08)
David Roberson, MD (7/08)
Assistant Professor
Jaimie DeRosa, MD (11/09)
Daniel Lee, MD (3/09)
Tina Stankovic, MD/PhD (12/08)
Donald Annino, MD (11/09)
Robert Frankenthaler, MD (11/09)
Instructor
Iee Ching Anderson, MD (2/09)
Heidi Nakajima, MD/PhD (6/09)
Fuxin Shi, PhD (11/08)
Gi Soo Lee, MD (7/09)
Kenneth Rosen, PhD (7/09)
Guangwei Zhou, MD (11/08)
What’s New at Children’s | c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 6
Dr. Marilyn Neault is the Chair of the Cochlear Implant
Specialty Certification Committee, and a subject matter
expert of the Pediatric Audiology Specialty Certification
Committee, both of the American Board of Audiology.
In 2009, Dr. Neault received the Ellen Kurtzer White
Award from the Decibels Foundation. Dr. Terrell Clark
was recently selected as the 2010 recipient of the Gerald
P. Koocher Excellence in Teaching Award from the
Division of Psychology at CHB. John Costello, MA,
received three awards in June 2010: the GOLD Award
and the EXTRA Award from the National Association
Media and Publishing for content that is “above and
beyond the ordinary” and “outstanding innovation in
association media and publishing”, and the “Fellowship
Award” from the International Society of Augmentative
and Alternative Communication.
Grant Support: There has been a substantial increase in
grant support in the past two years. These include Dr.
Gabriel Corfas (NIH, Trophic Interactions in
Developing and Adult Inner Ears); Dr’s Poe and Kenna
(NIH, Fiber Laser for Myringotomy and Middle Ear
Surgery); Dr. Margaret Kenna (Pfeiffer Foundation,
Hearing and Vision in Infants and Children with Usher
Syndrome); Dr. Mark Volk (HMS, Physiologic
Correlates of High Fidelity Medical Simulation); Dr.
David Roberson, (Draper Institute to automate the tool
he has developed to measure the cognitive complexity of
the medical record); Dr. Brian Fligor, (AUCD/LEND,
aims include identifying barriers to Universal Newborn
Hearing diagnosis); the CHB Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Program (2010 Verizon Foundation Assistive Technology
Award); Dr. Howard Shane (CVS, Update on the Virtual
World program; Ravitz Foundation, A Field Study in
Autism). g
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
9
Faculty Recognition
2010 ENT Education Committee Members
Barbara Beckman-Beard
David Caradonna, M.D.
Michael Cunningham, M.D.
Jaimie DeRosa, M.D.
Daniel Deschler, M.D.
Ramon Franco, M.D.
Stacey Gray, M.D.
Eric Holbrook, M.D.
Joseph Nadol, Jr., M.D.
Gregory Randolph, M.D.
Steven Rauch, M.D.
Keith Saxon, M.D.
William Sewell, PhD
Mark Volk, M.D.
2010 Standardized Oral Examination Faculty
Jeannie Chung, M.D.
Michael Cunningham, M.D.
Jaimie DeRosa, M.D.
Stacey Gray, M.D.
Eric Holbrook, M.D.
Donald Keamy, Jr., M.D.
Derrick Lin, M.D.
Steven Rauch, M.D.
Phillip Song, M.D.
Tina Stankovic, M.D., PhD
2010 Didactic Resident Education Committee
Michael Cunningham, M.D.
Jaimie DeRosa, M.D.
Kevin Emerick, M.D.
Stacey Gray, M.D.
Jennifer Smullen, M.D.
Phillip Song, M.D.
2010 – 2011 Clinical Mentors
Michael Cunningham, M.D.
Jaimie DeRosa, M.D.
Daniel Deschler, M.D.
Stacey Gray, M.D.
Eric Holbrook, M.D.
Donald Keamy, Jr., M.D.
Michael McKenna, M.D
Saumil Merchant, M.D.
Phillip Song, M.D.
2010 – 2011 Research Mentors
Neil Bhattacharyya, M.D.
Michael Cunningham, M.D.
Daniel Deschler, M.D.
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Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
Tessa Hadlock, M.D.
Christopher Hartnick, M.D.
James Heaton, PhD
Donald Keamy, Jr., M.D.
M. Charles Liberman, Ph.D.
Michael McKenna, M.D.
John Meara, M.D.
Saumil Merchant, M.D.
James Rocco, M.D., Ph.D.
Phillip Song, M.D.
Tina Stankovic, M.D., Ph.D.
Program Director’s Note | c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 2
Eddington and Steven Stufflebeam were the 2010
recipients.
Recognition of the success of our residency
program has come in several formats. We received full
ACGME accreditation for the maximum period of 5
years following our September, 2009 site visit, and we
were also granted approval for an increase in resident
complement on an every other year basis. We plan to
use this increased resident complement to improve our
residents’ maxillofacial trauma experience and to enhance
their otology, laryngology and rhinology subspecialty
exposure. All our graduates over the past 5 years have
passed their ABOto certification examinations, and the
vast majority match in their chosen fellowships or join
their desired practices.
I believe our graduates leave us with a very strong
foundation upon which to further build their clinical
practices or subspecialty careers. Such is a testament to all
Harvard otolaryngology faculty members, and especially
to those (isted above who serve on the ENT Education
and Didactic Resident Education Committees as faculty
for the Standardized Oral Examination and as clinical and
research mentors to our residents. g
Request for Alumni Notes and News
Help us make it better! Please keep us apprised of your latest accomplishments, both personal and professional. Send
your news to:
Ms. Barbara Beckman-Beard,
Associate Director of Faculty Services and Education
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
243 Charles Street
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 573-3654
email: Barbara_Beckman-Beard@meei.harvard.edu
Meet the New Professors
Richard Gliklich, MD
Dr. Gliklich first joined the
department when he began his
residency in Otolaryngology
followed by a clinical fellowship in
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery at the Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary. In addition to
his clinical practice in the areas of
facial surgery, sino-orbital surgery,
and reconstructive surgery, Dr.
Gliklich has developed a unique specialization in the
area of outcome sciences. He is the President and CEO
of Outcome Sciences, the leading provider for patient
registries, studies, and technologies for evaluating
medical outcomes, where he focuses on clinical research
on the effectiveness, safety, and quality of care. Dr.
Gliklich has also assumed the formal role in developing
outcome measures and reporting at Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary to help the hospital provide patients
with the highest quality of care. Dr. Gliklich is both an
international leader in the area of outcome sciences and
a role model as an innovative clinician in
Otolaryngology.
Michael Cunningham, MD
Dr. Cunningham joined the
department in 1988 when he served
as a research and clinical fellow in
Otolaryngology. He completed his
residency training in Pediatrics at
Massachusetts General Hospital and
in Otolaryngology at the University
of Pittsburgh Eye and Ear Hospital.
Today, Dr. Cunningham has
combined his specialties,
limiting his practice to Pediatric Otolaryngology. He has
served as Director of the Harvard Combined Residency
Program in Otolaryngology since 2004, and he played
an instrumental role in the organization and
development of a fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology
at the Infirmary. He also served as Chair of the
Department’s Education Committee and as a member
of the Residency Selection Committee. He has recently
accepted the position of Otolaryngologist-in-Chief at
Children’s Hospital, Boston. Dr. Cunningham is a
preeminent Pediatric Otolaryngology and academic
leader. His dedication to teaching is perhaps best
represented by his William W. Montgomery Award for
excellence in teaching, an honor bestowed by residents
in our program.
Conrad Wall, III, PhD
Dr. Wall was recruited to the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary as the Director of
the Jenks Vestibular Diagnostic
Laboratory in 1987. He holds
a BS and MS in Physics from
Tulane University and a PhD in
Bioengineering from Carnegie
Mellon University. Recognized
for his outstanding work in the area of development
and diagnostic strategies for evaluation of vestibular
disorders, Dr. Wall was elected as the Chair of a national
committee for the development of national standards for
testing basic vestibular function. Most recently he has
set the standard for rehabilitative medicine for
individuals suffering from postural instability and
balance disorders by the development of a wearable
vestibular prosthesis. He is also supported by an RO1
grant from NIDCD/NIH for his research on motion
sensory arrays for vestibular deficient individuals. In the
classroom, Dr. Wall is a valued faculty member of the
HST Speech Hearing Bioscience and Technology
Program. He is also involved in the supervision of
research fellows, many of whom have since assumed
academic positions.
Bertrand Delgutte, PhD
Dr. Delgutte first joined the
department in 1976 as a research
assistant in the Eaton Peabody
Laboratory at the Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary. He now
serves as a research associate in
otolaryngology at the Eaton Peabody Laboratory, a position he has held since 1984
following the completion of his Ph.D. in electrical
engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology in 1981. He has also served as a senior
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
11
Harvard Medical School Department of Otology & Laryngology
Meet the New Professors| c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 1 3
Class of 2009
research scientist in the Research Laboratory of
Electronics at MIT since 2003. Dr. Delgutte is an
internationally known auditory scientist whose research
focuses on the understanding of the neural basis of
auditory perception and how such information may
improve hearing aids and cochlear implants. Supported
by two NIH RO1 grants, he has introduced new research
techniques, namely using virtual space technology that is
now a standard in acoustic laboratories. He co-directs the
Speech and Hearing, Bioscience and Technology program
within the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and
Technology, where he serves as the course director of neural
coding and perception of sound of a course entitled “Brain
Mechanisms of Hearing and Speech.” Additionally, he has
supervised numerous Ph.D. theses and has been invited on
an international basis to participate in symposia related to
his research in neural coding.
William Sewell, PhD
Dr. Sewell first joined the
department in 1979 as a research
associate in Otolaryngology at the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary, where he has also
served as a principal investigator
since 1984. He earned his PhD in
Pharmacology from Tulane University in 1978 and served
as a postdoctoral fellow in Auditory Physiology in the
Research Laboratory of Electronics at MIT from 1979 to
1981. Dr. Sewell’s research focuses on the pharmacology
of the inner ear, studying neural transmitters and synaptic
transmission. More recently, his research has involved
genetic models of inner ear development including the use
of zebrafish and the development of drug delivery
technology for the inner ear. His contributions to the
understanding of the pharmacology of the inner ear have
been recognized on a national level, as evidenced by
support from three grants from the NIDCD. His teaching
and administrative responsibilities are principally directed
toward the Speech, Hearing, Bioscience and Technology
Program of HST of MIT and Harvard, where he has
supervised several doctoral candidates and postdoctoral
fellows. He has served as a member of several thesis
committees. An internationally known expert in the area of
neural transmission, Dr. Sewell has been an invited
presenter at a variety of symposia. g
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Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
L-R: Andrew Scott, M.D., Wade Chien, M.D., Shelby Leuin, M.D.,
Joshua Silverman, M.D., Ph.D.
Residents
Wade Chien
Medical School: University of Southern California
Internship: Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center
Future plans: Neurotology fellowship at Johns Hopkins
Shelby Leuin
Medical School: University of California at San Francisco
Internship: Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Future plans: Pediatric ORL fellowship in Denver, CO
Andrew Scott
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Internship: Massachusetts General Hospital
Future plans: Pediatric ORL fellowship in Minneapolis,
MN
Joshua Silverman
Medical School: New York University
Internship: Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Future plans: Pediatric ORL fellowship in Chicago, Laryngology fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Fellows
Matt Brigger
Medical School: University of Cincinnati
Residency: National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda
Fellowship: Pediatric ORL, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary
Future plans: Pediatric Otolaryngology practice, Naval
Medical Center, San Diego
Harvard Medical School Department of Otology & Laryngology
Anthony Nichols
Medical School: University of Toronto, Canada
Residency: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Fellowship: Head and Neck/Microvascular, Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary
Future plans: Academic Head and Neck Surgery practice
in Toronto
Samuel Ostrower
Medical School: Texas Tech, Lubbock
Residency: Albert Einstein School of Medicine
Fellowship: Pediatric ORL, Children’s Hospital, Boston
Future Plans: Connecticut Pediatric Otolaryngology
L-R: Anthony Nichols, M.D., Jennifer Shin, M.D., Matt Brigger, M.D.,
Sara Richer, M.D., Robin Lindsay, M.D., ManKit Leung, M.D., Ophir
Handzel, M.D.
Ophir Handzel
Medical School: Hebrew University and Hadassah
Residency: Kaplan Medical Center, Israel
Fellowship: International Otology and Neurotology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Future plans: Otology and Neurotology staff, Tel Aviv
Sourasky Medical Center, Israel
Gin Soo Lee
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Residency: University of Washington
Fellowship: Pediatric ORL, Children’s Hospital, Boston
Future Plans: Academic Staff, Children’s Hospital
David Leonard Brigger
Medical School: National University of Ireland, Dublin
Residency: Waterford Regional Hospital, Waterford
Fellowship: Pediatric ORL, Children’s Hospital, Boston
Future Plans: Staff, St. Vincents Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Sara Richer
Medical School: Rush Medical College, Chicago
Residency: Northwestern University, Chicago
Fellowship: Thyroid/Parathyroid Surgery, Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary
Future plans: Partner with Dr. Douglas Ross, St.
Vincent’s Hospital, Bridgeport, CT
Jennifer Shin
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Internship: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric ORL, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary
Future plans: Pediatric ENT, Southern California
Class of 2010
ManKit Leung
Medical School: University of California at San Francisco
Residency: Stanford University Hospital
Fellowship: Rhinology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Future plans: Staff, Stanford University
Robin Lindsay
Medical School: University of Virginia Medical School
Residency: National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda
Fellowship: Facial Plastics, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary
Future plans: National Naval Medical Center, Staff, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Residents
L-R: Aaron Wieland, M.D., Alicia Quesnel, M.D., Hien Tierney,
M.D., Margo Benoit, M.D.
Margo Benoit
Medical School: University of Buffalo
Internship: Brigham &Women’s Hospital
Future plans: Pediatric ORL Fellowship, Children’s Hospital
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
13
Harvard Medical School Department of Otology & Laryngology
Alicia Quesnel
Medical School: University of California, San Francisco
Internship: Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Future plans: Neurotology fellowship, Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary
Ryan K. Sewell
Medical School: University of Iowa
Residency: University of Nebraska
Fellowship: Pediatric ORL, Children’s Hospital, Boston
Future Plans: ENT Specialists, Omaha, NE
Hien Tierney
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University
Internship: Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Future plans: Staff, Harvard Vanguard, Boston
Zachary Soler
Medical School: Wake Forest University
Residency & Internship: Oregon Health and Science
University, Portland
Fellowship: Rhinology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Future plans: A year of research at Massachusetts Eye
and Ear
Aaron Wieland
Medical School: University of California, San Francisco
Internship: Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Future plans: Head and Neck Fellowship, Madison, WI
Fellows
Vasu Divi
Medical School: University of Michigan
Residency & Internship: University of Michigan
Fellowship: Head and Neck, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Future plans: Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
Katherine R. Kavanaugh
Medical School: Loyola University Stritch
Residency: University of Connecticut Health Center
Fellowship: Pediatric ORL, Children’s Hospital, Boston
Future Plans: Connecticutt Children’s Medical Center
Chih Kwang Sung
Medical School: State University New York, Downstate
Residency & Internship: Mt. Sinai School of Medicine
Fellowship: Laryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Future plans: Staff, Stanford University Medical Center
Marica Zizic-Mitrecic
Medical School: University of Zagreb, Croatia
Residency & Internship: University Hospital Center
Zagreb
Fellowship: Thyroid, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Future plans: Return to Croatia to finish PhD
Andrew McCall
Medical School: University of California at Los Angeles
Residency & Internship: University of California at Los
Angeles
Fellowship: Neurotology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Future plans: Staff, University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center
Brian K. Reilly
Medical School: Columbia University
Residency: McGaw Medical Center/Northwestern
Fellowship: Pediatric ORL, Children’s Hospital, Boston
Future Plans: Children’s National, Washington, DC
14
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
L-R: Andrew McCall, M.D., Chih Kwang Sung, M.D., Marica Zizic-Mitrecic,
M.D., Zachary Soler, M.D., Vasu Divi, M.D.
Harvard Medical School Department of Otology & Laryngology
Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6
15
Visit Harvard Medical School Online
www.med.harvard.edu
The Harvard Medical School can be found on the web at
the above address. To learn more about the Mass Eye and
Ear Infirmary, Children’s Hospital, Beth Israel, Brigham
& Women’s, and other clinical affiliates of the Harvard
Medical School, access the Harvard Medical Center
(HMC) Net by clicking on “Teaching Hospitals and
Affiliated Institutions.”
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Harvard Otolaryngology | J a n u a r y 2 0 11 , I s s u e N u m b e r 6