PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Overview: Midwest Head and Neck Surgical Oncology consists of 7 faculty members that are leaders in head and neck cancer, coming from diverse backgrounds. The group is involved in patient care through the Estabrook Cancer Center at Nebraska Methodist Hospital.  The group’s referral area includes not only Nebraska, but also Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota. The Division cares for approximately 1,250 new cancer patients per year and surgically treats approximately 650 cancer patients per year. In addition to head and neck cancer, the program is a high volume head and neck endocrine surgery.

Objectives: The fellowship is designed to offer a comprehensive clinical experience in multidisciplinary care of head and neck cancer patients and to develop surgical expertise in ablative and reconstructive procedures. The fellow works closely with the entire faculty and plays an important role in treatment planning. The fellow will be responsible for the daily activities of the service and supervises residents and medical students to ensure excellent patient care and a quality educational experience. The fellow will have a progressive operative experience commensurate with their ability and be prepared for a future career in academic medicine. Salary and health insurance will be provided.

Strengths: The program will allow the fellow to experience a multidisciplinary approach to all areas of head and neck oncology including significant exposure to endocrine surgery, skull base surgery, transoral robotic and laser surgery, and microvascular reconstruction. The fellow will have the opportunity to develop expertise in head and neck ultrasounds as part of the program. The program offers the fellow the unique opportunity to provide multidisciplinary care in a high volume private cancer center.

Eligibility: The Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Advanced Head and Neck Reconstruction fellowship is offered to Otolaryngologists, General Surgeons, and Plastic Surgeons that have completed their residency training program and who are eligible for or have obtained board certification.

Fellows’ Duties/Responsibilities: The fellow’s experience will consist of a 12-month clinical experience in the multidisciplinary care of head and neck cancer patients. The fellow will spend appropriate time in the outpatient clinic as well as in the operating room with each faculty developing expertise in head and neck surgical oncology and reconstruction. The fellow will play a critical role in the perioperative care of patients, including the multidisciplinary tumor boards, with the goal that the fellow has the opportunity to see a multitude of patients through the entire process. It is expected that the fellow will perform approximately 300-350 operations during the fellowship. Additionally, the fellow will have time dedicated to the collaborating specialties of the multidisciplinary team including radiation oncology, medical oncology, prosthetics, endocrinology, speech and language pathology, and nutrition. The fellow will participate in a structured didactic curriculum, a reading program, and a variety of educational symposiums. The fellow will attend a national head and neck oncology conference during the year. It will be required that the fellow complete one clinical research project during the year.  Both Thyroid Nodule and Cancer as well as Head and Neck Cancer registries are available to support research projects.  The fellow will be responsible to the Head and Neck service and not be involved in the clinical activities of the other Otolaryngology services. The fellow will have call responsibilities for the Head and Neck service, but will not participate in the faculty call schedule.

PAST FELLOWS
Dr. Erik Interval (2018)
Dr. Eugene Son (2017)
Dr. Dana Peterson (2016)
Dr. Vero Wong (2015)
Dr. Andrew Coughlin (2014)
Dr. Aru Panwar (2013)
Dr. Marsha Eustaquio (2012)
Dr. Robert Lindau (2011)