University of Pennsylvania Health System3400 Spruce Street
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Number of Fellowships: 2 Duration (in years): 1 year Department Chair: D. Gregory Farwell, MD, FACS Faculty: Devraj Basu, MD, PhD, FACS Robert M. Brody, MD Steven B. Cannady, MD Ryan, M. Carey, MD Ara A. Chalian, MD, FACS D. Gregory Farwell, MD, FACS Karthik Rajasekaran, MD, FACS Christopher H. Rassekh, MD, FACS Gregory S. Weinstein, MD, FACS |
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Overview:
The management of head and neck cancer represents one of the most complex and demanding areas of modern medicine. These diseases carry profound consequences for patients and their families and require seamless coordination across multifaceted, multidisciplinary teams. From intricate surgical procedures to evolving non-surgical therapies, head and neck surgeons must be prepared not only to deliver technically excellent care, but also to lead and integrate the efforts of diverse caregivers to achieve the best possible outcomes. The Head and Neck Fellowship at Penn is designed to prepare fellows to meet these challenges and emerge as clinical leaders in the field.
At Penn, we have pioneered and refined both surgical and non-surgical approaches to the management of head and neck cancer, with a clear emphasis on improving survival while optimizing functional outcomes. Our philosophy centers on achieving durable cancer control while preserving speech, swallowing, and quality of life. Fellows gain extensive experience with a broad range of techniques, including endoscopic laser surgery, transoral robotic surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System, complex transcervical open resections, open and endoscopic partial laryngectomy, and free flap reconstruction.
Equally central to the fellowship is the development of leadership and decision-making skills required to manage patients across the full continuum of care. Fellows are trained to function as the physician-leader of a multidisciplinary team, coordinating care among medical and radiation oncologists, reconstructive surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, speech and swallowing specialists, nursing teams, and supportive services. While a thorough understanding of non-surgical therapies is essential, we believe that head and neck surgeons should never feel compelled to recommend non-surgical treatment due to limitations in their surgical expertise. Our educational mission is to foster surgeons who are confident advocates for surgical intervention when it offers the greatest benefit, who recognize when non-surgical approaches are most appropriate, and who can guide patients and teams through complex, individualized treatment decisions.
Strengths:
The Head and Neck Fellowship at Penn offers exceptional depth and breadth of training within a collaborative academic environment. Fellows work closely with nine dedicated head and neck surgical faculty members, representing a wide range of clinical interests, technical expertise, and career stages. This diversity of mentorship provides fellows with multiple perspectives on patient care, operative decision-making, academic development, and career pathways.
Clinically, the program provides comprehensive exposure to the full spectrum of head and neck surgical oncology. Fellows gain extensive experience in organ preservation surgery, including supracricoid partial laryngectomy as well as other open and transoral approaches to the larynx ; transoral robotic surgery (TORS) using the da Vinci Surgical System; complex thyroid and parathyroid surgery; advanced cutaneous oncology and sentinel lymph node biopsy; parotid surgery; microvascular free flap reconstruction; sialoendoscopy; and endoscopic and open skull base surgery. This breadth ensures that fellows graduate with the confidence and versatility to manage both routine and highly complex cases.
Fellows train under multiple high-volume microvascular and reconstructive surgeons, collectively performing over 250 microvascular cases annually. This experience fosters technical excellence, operative efficiency, and sound perioperative judgment, providing a strong foundation for a career that includes microvascular reconstruction.
In parallel with advanced surgical training, the fellowship emphasizes mastery of current standards of care and exposure to evolving multidisciplinary treatment paradigms. Fellows participate actively in multidisciplinary tumor boards and longitudinal patient management, gaining firsthand experience with neoadjuvant and adjuvant systemic therapies, including immunotherapy-based approaches, as well as the integration of surgery within complex multimodality treatment plans. Fellows are also exposed to clinical trial design, enrollment, and execution, preparing them to thoughtfully incorporate investigational therapies and evidence-based innovation into patient care.
The fellowship emphasizes not only operative excellence, but also the development of comprehensive perioperative and longitudinal patient management skills. Graduating fellows are equipped to manage the full scope of head and neck surgical oncology, from initial evaluation and multidisciplinary treatment planning to postoperative care and survivorship. Fellows develop the leadership skills required to coordinate care across diverse teams and to serve as the central physician guiding individualized, patient-centered decision-making.
The University of Pennsylvania pioneered transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and was the first program in the world to introduce this approach for the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant lesions of the upper aerodigestive tract. Since its development at Penn, we have remained a global leader in advancing transoral and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Building on this legacy, Penn continues to lead multiple cutting-edge clinical trials in oropharyngeal cancer, including advanced treatment de-intensification strategies and studies of novel systemic agents. Fellows gain exposure to these evolving multidisciplinary paradigms while also benefiting from a high-volume surgical experience that ensures deep expertise in standard, evidence-based operative approaches. This balance of innovation and foundational surgical training prepares fellows to deliver state-of-the-art care while confidently managing the full spectrum of head and neck cancer.
Overall, the Penn Head and Neck Fellowship is designed to provide a strong and durable foundation for a career in academic head and neck surgery. Through rigorous surgical training, exposure to high-volume complex cases, and experience with cutting-edge multidisciplinary care and clinical research, graduates are well prepared to transition into independent practice and to emerge as future leaders in head and neck oncology.
Fellows’ Duties/Responsibilities:
The Head and Neck Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania is a clinically focused, 12-month program in which fellows assume progressive responsibility for the comprehensive care of patients with head and neck cancer. Fellows work closely with full-time head and neck surgical faculty and alongside multidisciplinary colleagues in medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, and radiology.
Fellows play an active role across all phases of patient care, including initial consultation, diagnostic evaluation, preoperative planning, multidisciplinary tumor board discussion, operative management, reconstruction, and postoperative follow-up. They participate in both ablative and reconstructive procedures and work side-by-side with supervising attending surgeons in the operating room, while also contributing to the education and supervision of residents.
A central responsibility of the fellow is to coordinate and integrate multidisciplinary care. Fellows regularly participate in meetings of the University of Pennsylvania Head and Neck Tumor Board, where approximately 800 new head and neck cancer cases are presented annually. Through these conferences, fellows gain experience in contemporary surgical and non-surgical treatment strategies, including the integration of systemic therapies, immunotherapy-based approaches, and clinical trial enrollment when appropriate.
Fellows maintain continuity of care through regular outpatient clinic participation and inpatient management. In addition to a shared clinic experience, fellows function as junior faculty with an independent half-day clinic, developing skills in autonomous clinical decision-making while maintaining faculty oversight. This longitudinal exposure fosters a deep understanding of the full spectrum of cancer care and prepares fellows for independent practice.
In addition to clinical responsibilities, fellows are expected to engage in academic activities, including resident and medical student education, scholarly projects, and participation in departmental and programmatic initiatives. Through these combined clinical and academic responsibilities, fellows graduate well prepared to serve as independent surgeons, multidisciplinary leaders, and advocates for evidence-based, patient-centered care in head and neck oncology.
Fellows are given a professional fee allowance to use for travel, conference fees and other expenses. The department pays for a set of 3.5 loupes, DEA and PA license, and tuition for the ACS Ultrasound course, which is hosted by our faculty at Penn.
Research Opportunities: Research and teaching opportunities are also available and encouraged. The staff is available and interested in fostering clinical research.
PAST FELLOWS
The program has a very strong track record in academic job placement nationally. Our faculty is committed to helping our graduates find the right jobs, and mentoring them throughout their careers as members of the Penn Community.
2024 Jean-Nicolas Gallant – Advent Health, Celebration, FL
2024 Sophia Dang – New York University, New York, NY
2023 Lukas Dumberger – Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat, Charlotte, NC
2023 Jake Lee – Stanford, University of San Francisco, CA
2022 Gabriela DeVries – Lackland Air Force Base, TX
2022 Tyler Halle – Emory University, Atlanta, GA
2021Mary Xu – University of California San Francisco, San Franciso, CA
2021 Erin Kaye – University of Miami, Miami, FL
2020 Justin Shinn – Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA
2020 Leila Mady – Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, MD
2019 Harman Parhar – Victoria General Hospital, Vancouver, CA
2019 Kendall Tasche – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
2018 Ernest (Ted) Gomez – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
2018 Brianna Harris – Senta Clinic, San Diego, CA
2017 Punam Thakkar – George Washington University, Washington D.C.
2017 Karthik Rajasekaran – University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
2016 Benjamin Hodnett – Mercy Clinic, Springfield, MO
2016 Kyle Hatten – University of Maryland, Baltimore, MA
2015 Kunal Jain – University of Texas, Houston, TX
2015 Alexandra Kejner – University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
2014 Raymond Chai – Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
2014 Mihir Patel – University of Noth Carolina, Raleigh, NC
2013 JK Rasamny – White Plains Hospital Physician Associates, Armonk, NY
2013 Andrew Terrell – Sandford Broadway Clinic, Fargo, ND
2012 Andrew Cowan – University of New Mexico
2012 Courtney Shires – West Cancer Center and Research Institute, Germantown, TN
2011 Tom Thomas – Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ
2010 Carlos Perez Mitchell – Memorial Neuroscience Institute, Hollywood, FL
2009 Jason Diaz – Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
2008 Niels Kokut – University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
2007 Devraj Basu – University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
2006 Ray Blanco – Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD
2005 Jason Newman – Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
2004 Miriam Lango – MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tx
2003 Richard Wein – Tufts University, Boston, MA
2002 Duane Sewell – University of Maryland (deceased)
2001 Michael K Kim – Memorial Care, Los Alamitos, CA
2000 Mouwafak Al Rawi – West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
1999 Diane Duffey – Yale University, New Haven, CT
1998 John Goldenberg – Otolaryngology Associates, Indianapolis, IA