ENT rotations are grouped into the following
- Head and Neck, Rhinology, and Anterior Skull Base Surgery (PGY2, PGY4, PGY5)
- Laryngology, Otology, Pediatric Otolaryngology (PGY2, PGY3/4, PGY5)
- Facial Plastic Surgery (PGY4, PGY5)
- Unity Point-Meriter Hospital (PGY2, PGY3)
- William S. Middleton VA Hospital (PGY2/3, PGY4/5)
- Night Float (end of intern year, PGY2)
Rotations by Post-Graduate Year
PGY-1
The first year of training includes six months of Otolaryngology and 6 months of non-Otolaryngology rotations. Otolaryngology experience includes working one-on-one with faculty during a dedicated month in outpatient clinics, and spending time on the inpatient Otolaryngology services, where they learn to manage inpatients and begin operating with faculty. In the spring, interns achieve graduated autonomy by first working side-by-side with a PGY2 to learn to manage Emergency Department and inpatient consults. This is then followed by a rotation as the primary ENT consult provider and a rotation on the junior night float call schedule, preparing them well for their PGY2 year.
Non-otolaryngology rotations include:
– Neurosurgery (1 month)
– Anesthesiology (1 month)
– Critical Care Medicine (ICU) (1 month)
– Thoracic Surgery (1 month)
– Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (1 month)
– Vascular Surgery (1 month)
PGY-2
Most 
of the second year of training (9 months) is spent on the UW inpatient Otolaryngology services and as part of the junior night float system. The last three months of the year are spent rotating between the William S. Middleton VA Hospital, Unity Point-Meriter Hospital, and a dedicated research rotation. On the daytime UW inpatient service, the PGY2 alternates day to day between managing emergency room/inpatient consults under faculty supervision and operating. A significant portion of operative time is devoted to gaining experience in routine general otolaryngology procedures, including tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, myringotomy and tube placement, septoplasty, minor head and neck surgery, tracheostomy, endoscopic sinus surgery, and diagnostic endoscopy. The junior night float system was resident-initiated due to clinical volume and an increase in resident number and has been a very well-received addition to the program.
PGY-3
Responsibilities increase in the inpatient and outpatient clinical setting, as well as in the operating room during the PGY3 year. ENT specialty training will include roughly three months on each of the following services: William S. Middleton VA Hospital, Unity Point-Meriter Hospital, UW inpatient Otolaryngology, and 3 months of dedicated research time. Paired with a chief resident, the three-month VA Hospital rotation as a junior resident, provides broad otolaryngology experience both in clinic and in the operating room, with an emphasis on head and neck surgery, as well as outpatient clinical skills. Meriter Hospital provides community-like, general otolaryngology experience, higher-level operative experience, as well as autonomy in running an inpatient service.
The dedicated three-month research experience allows for dedicated time to work on a research project under faculty guidance. Residents are encouraged to collaborate with other departments within the hospital and on the UW-Madison campus, and present projects both at a local level and at national and international meetings. Each resident is expected to present and publish at least two manuscripts during his or her residency experience.
PGY-3s also have the unique opportunity to spend one month rotating with our institution’s exceptional Head and Neck Radiology and Radiation Oncology faculty.
Early in the academic year, the PGY3s participate in the structured 12-session Temporal Bone Anatomy and Dissection course, led by our two neurotologists. This course provides didactic as well as hands-on training with an emphasis on basic sciences, pathology, anatomy, and temporal bone surgical techniques.
PGY-4
During the 4th year of training, 6 months are spent on the inpatient Otolaryngology services, 2 months on Facial Plastic Surgery, 2 months as Chief resident at the VA, and 2 months rotating with Endocrine Surgery. Residents are part of the senior evening call pool with the PGY4s and provide primary call for Unity-Point-Meriter Hospital and secondary call to the junior resident for UW/AFCH/VA. The 6 months on the UW inpatient service provides graduated operative responsibilities, as well as exposure to more complex cases in all areas of Otolaryngology.
The Facial Plastic Surgery experience is a unique opportunity to spend one-on-one time with our two, double-board certified Facial Plastic Surgeons. This “mini-fellowship” in both functional and cosmetic surgery allows for swift improvements in pre-operative evaluation, operative planning, and technical skills, as well as experience in facial reanimation, facial trauma, reconstruction after Mohs surgery, and facial gender affirmation surgery including facial feminization surgery (FFS).
As VA Chief, time is split equally between the operating room and running the outpatient clinic. The focus of this rotation is to gain experience in independent clinical practice, as well build on teaching skills by overseeing junior residents both in clinic and in the OR.
The dedicated Endocrine Surgery rotation focuses on the work-up and management of thyroid and parathyroid disease, and provides an opportunity to gain outpatient and operative experience both with the UW General Surgery – Endocrine Surgery Department, in addition to our own head and neck surgeons.
PGY-5
The final year of training is split into 8 months as Chief resident on the inpatient UW Otolaryngology services, 2 months as Chief resident at the VA, and 2 months on Facial Plastic Surgery. At this level, residents continue to gain operative experience and autonomy, and are largely responsible for overseeing patient care, allocating operative case and outpatient clinic coverage, and training other residents.
Goals of the Residency Program
At the completion of the PGY-5 year, our residents exceed the requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Residency Review Committee for Otolaryngology.
You will demonstrate competency in six areas including:
- Patient Care
- Medical Knowledge
- Practice-Based Learning Improvement
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Professionalism
- Systems-based Learning
By the end of your training at UW, you will be prepared to care for patients of all ages with medical and surgical disorders of the upper aerodigestive system, ears, and other structures of the head and neck. You will be competent to perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures appropriate to otolaryngologic pathological conditions. Your teaching and research experiences will have augmented the integration of didactic and clinical experiences. You will be prepared for a spectrum of career options and have the foundation for demonstrating excellence in the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.
