Information about Atlanta
Calendars: Important Dates and Resident Vacations
House Staff Policies and Orientation Manual
House Staff Employee Benefits

STRUCTURE OF THE OTOLARYNGOLOGY RESIDENCY

Our program accepts 3 residents per year matched through the NRMP. Our department oversees all five years of training, including the PGY-1 year. Below are outlined the general expectations and curriculum for each PGY level. (Note no schedule is set in stone so this website may at times be a little out of date).

PGY-1 YEAR
The PGY-1 year is spent on a myriad of surgery-related rotations. Each rotation is one month in length. Call schedules vary by rotation, but 80-hour-workweek (and related rules) are observed strictly. Three months are spent on the Otolaryngology service at Emory and Egleston Children’s. Other rotations include: Emergency Medicine, Neurosurgery, Thoracic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Endocrine Surgery (General Surg), Pediatric Surgery, Surigical ICU, Trauma Surgery, and Anesthesia. 

PGY-2 YEAR
The second year is spent doing two-month rotations through Grady Memorial Hospital, Egleston Children’s Hospital, Emory University Hospital – Midtown, and The Emory Otolaryngology Clinic. EUH-Midtown is home to the Emory Voice Center and the Emory Sinus Center, providing a wealth of general otolaryngology as well as subspecialty training.

PGY-3 YEAR
The PGY-3 residents spend alternating blocks at the Atlanta VA, Emory University Hospital, and Emory University Hospital - Midtown. These rotations allow development of more sophisticated surgical and diagnostic skills. This rotation also includes Facial Plastic experience at the Emory Facial Center in central Buckhead.

PGY-4 YEAR
The PGY-4 rotations include the Grady Chief of Service Block (4 months), the Emory Head & Neck Chief Block (2 months), the Emory Otology / Rhinology Chief Block (2 months), and the Research Block (4 months).
Our research block gives the resident the opportunity for basic science research. The research curriculum actually starts during the PGY-2 year with selection of topics and mentors, then application for research grants / funding during the PGY-3 year. While basic scientific research is expected, exceptions are made for outstanding clinical studies as well.
Most residents actively participate in research throughout their clinical years, publishing reports in peer-reviewed journals, and presenting at national and international meetings.

PGY-5 YEAR
In the final year the PGY-5 resident serves a 4-month rotation as the Chief of Service at the Atlanta VA Hospital. Additionally the Emory Head & Neck Chief and Otology / Rhinology blocks are repeated. The remaining 4 months are split between EUH – Midtown and The Emory Facial Center.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM

HOSPITALS
Consistent with the Department’s mission to offer comprehensive exposure to a diverse patient population the resident rotations cover five Atlanta hospitals (Grady Memorial, Emory University, Egleston Children’s, Emory University Hospital - Midtown and the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center). In addition to these sites the residency also provides rotations through the Department’s central faculty clinic in addition to the off-campus Emory Facial Center.

CASE VOLUMES
Given the scope and breadth of the Emory residency our case experience logs are consistently strong, and appropriately the size of our residency has been expanded to better capture these educational opportunities without diminishing the quality of exposure, experience and education our residents enjoy.

CALL RESPONSIBILITIES
Call on the Otolaryngology Service is all “Home Call”. Of course during the PGY-1 year many off-service rotations require in-hospital call. The Junior residents split Otolaryngology call into two call pools to easier cover each hospital. This averages Junior call to about Q3.5-4. Usually each junior is afforded about 2 “Golden Weekends” each month. Senior call begins the PGY-4 year and averages to Q6 (including Q6 weekends).

WORK HOURS
All aspects of the ACGME work-hour rules are followed. Our busiest rotation is the Emory Head & Neck service, where hours are often pushed to 70-80/week during busy weeks. Other rotations have variable hours but are usually kept to around 50-60 / week.

EVALUATIONS
Residents receive comprehensive evaluations by our faculty on a semiannual basis. On-service evaluations are also performed with the supervising attendings. Likewise, residents evaluate attendings on a semi-annual basis. Individual feedback sessions are held twice yearly with the Program Director as well to discuss evaluations and performance.

CONFERENCES & STRUCTURED EDUCATION

• Weekly Grand Rounds (and related program-wide conferences) are held every Thursday at 7am. This is CME-eligible conference.

• Resident Didactics. While always being fine-tuned, a two-year curriculum has been laid out based on readings from the Cummingstextbook. Our own faculty, other Emory faculty, as well as guest lecturers present to the residents Thursdays 8-10am.

• The Temporal Bone Surgical Anatomy Laboratory is held as a part of the Basic Science conferences and runs for several  weeks in the spring. We are very fortunate to have Dr. Malcolm Graham as the Director of the Temporal Bone Surgical Anatomy Laboratory and under his guidance each resident has become a superb temporal bone surgeon. Each resident has a drilling station with state of the art microscopes, drills and instruments. The session starts with a short lecture on the topic of the day and is followed by proctored drilling for all residents.

• An annual cadaveric sinus dissection course is held for residents as well. This is held at the Temporal Bone lab, utilizes modern sinus instruments, includes surgical navigation equipment and intra-operative CT scanning (when available).

  Journal Clubs are held the first Tuesday evening of each month at EUH-Midtown (or other selected venue). The Metro Atlanta ENT Society is the local ENT Society that co-hosts this event. In addition to a fine educational experience, it is also an opportunity to meet other local practicing otolaryngologists.

• This Society also five monthly meetings each year at local restaurants and invites nationally recognized speakers. Residents are expected to attend, and the meal is included.

• Additionally, a specific course on cosmetic injectables is offered to the senior residents by the Emory Facial Center. This includes hands-on experience with volunteer patients.

• The department subscribes to the AAO-HNS home study course for each resident. Participation in the readings and quizzes are expected.

• A resident-led In-Service Exam review is held every winter before the exam. These are topical discussions and Q&A’s held every week (usually on the weekend). Participation is encouraged.

MEMBERSHIPS
The Department sponsors resident memberships to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the Triological Society, the Georgia Society of Otolaryngology and the Metro Atlanta Otolaryngology Association.

JOURNALS AND PUBLICATIONS
Department-sponsored resident membership in the societies above also includes receipt of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, The Laryngoscope and Archives of Otolaryngology.

TRAVEL & MEETINGS
The department sponsors resident travel, lodging, and meals (up to $1000/trip) for attending a single national or regional conference each year where an oral presentation is given. Other trips, conferences, and events may also come available where special permission may be obtained to have costs covered. Recently, residents have been sponsored to attend: AAO-HNS Annual Meeting ("Academy"), Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting (COSM), Rhinology World, Georgia Society of Otolaryngology, Southern States Rhinology Course, AO Craniomaxillofacial Basic Plating Course, AAOA Otolaryngic Allergy Basic Course, Triological Southern States, etc.

VACATION
Residents are allotted off 15 days of paid leave (3 workweeks) each year. Approval for vacations is made by the Chief Resident. Holidays are appropriately divided between the covering residents to allow a good quality of life while in residency.