Educational Activities

Weekly Educational Activities Include the Following:

• Basic Otolaryngology Conference – A lecture series that covers clinical and basic science topics
• Subspecialty conferences (otology, rhinology/sinus, facial plastics and reconstructive surgery)
• Conferences occur every Tuesday morning from 7 to 10 am

Additional Activities Include the Following:

• Weekly comprehensive Tumor Board including staff from pathology, radiology, surgery, and radiation and medical oncology
• Monthly Journal Club
• Monthly Morbidity and Mortality Conference
• Clinical Case Presentations
• Monthly Grand Rounds
• Residents on the VA rotation attend a surgical pathology conference.
• Temporal bone course is conducted during the otology conferences and a weekend sinus course is conducted each spring; both are held in the 11-station temporal bone/sinus lab.

In addition to the yearly In-Service examination each spring, the department has instituted a yearly written examination for all residents, and yearly mock oral examinations for the PGY-2, 3 and 4 residents.

Residents are expected to participate actively in their own education as well as the education of their fellow residents. They also take an active role in the education of the medical students that rotate throughout the department.

Local conferences attended by residents include the annual Magnolia Conference, which is a national conference hosted by the department in early summer. The conference features guest lecturers from around the country and lectures from MUSC clinical and research faculty and encompasses the entire spectrum of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery. Each resident gives a research presentation during this conference, and two residents present their research at the annual North Carolina/South Carolina meeting. Residents also attend the annual CME teaching courses sponsored by the department:

• Audiology Conferences
• Otolaryngology Literature Update
• Pediatric Airway
• Pediatric ENT Update
• Putney Lectureship (Head & Neck Cancer)
• Rhinology/Sinus Surgery
• Temporal Bone Dissection
• Vestibular Conference

In-house course in Allergy and Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery are also provided annually.

Residents attend and present at a number of national conferences each year. Each resident attends the basic allergy conference presented by the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) once during his or her residency. Chief residents attend the annual American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO) meeting. The department provides an annual stipend for travel and books to encourage attendance at national and regional meetings such as the Academy meeting, Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting (COSM), and Southern Section Meeting. In addition to the annual stipend, the department reimburses any resident giving a presentation at one of these meetings for travel expenses.