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Residency training mission at the University of Colorado
The goal of our residency program is to produce a physician prepared to be a board-certified Otolaryngologist, qualified to pursue fellowship options if desired. Our educational emphasis is on problem-solving and self-directed study, rather than rote memorization. Our goal, as medical educators, is to produce an excellent practitioner who commands a diverse knowledge base in otolaryngologic skills and who has a proper appreciation of modern technology and specialization in the field. We actively encourage resident participation in the implementation of the educational program.
Application
The University of Colorado’s program matches the PGY1 year directly into the Department of Otolaryngology. The majority of the first year is spent in rotations run by the Department of Surgery. These follow the required rotations as spelled out by the Otolaryngology Resident Review Committee. Because only three residents are chosen each year for this highly competitive program, applicants are advised to look critically at the strength of their application, as well as their qualifications and achievements towards Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Application to this program (as well as other Otolaryngology programs in the United States) is made through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) through ERAS, a centralized electronic application service that distributes your online application and supporting documents to residency programs. The deadline for our program to accept applications is September 30 of each year. Invitations to interview will be sent by email the second week of October. Interviews are scheduled on a first-come first-serve basis, with a wait list after they are filled.
Residents in our program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow Resident to legally train at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. The Deparment follows GME requiements for application. More information on GME application requirements can be found here.
Education
The foundation of our residency education program is in a repeated two-year, core education resident lecture series embodying all aspects of modern otolaryngologic practice, including facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, head and neck oncology/surgery, otology/neurotology, otolaryngologic allergy, rhinology, laryngology, and general otolaryngology, as well as basic science topics (e.g., vestibular and cochlear physiology). Residents present selected grand round topics under direct faculty supervision. Core subspecialty lecture series are presented by faculty or guest speakers. Temporal bone dissection courses, head and neck anatomic dissection courses, journal club, tumor boards, quality assurance conferences and local society meetings complement the lecture series. The department also offers a winter Otolaryngology meeting.
Research
Research training, as required by the American Board of Otolaryngology, is individualized. A resident may choose to complete "bench top" laboratory studies or clinical studies under the guidance of a departmental faculty member and the resident research committee. Preparation for the research rotation begins in the first year with attendance at the monthly committee meeting. Residents are given four months in their second year (PGY-3) during which the research and write-up phases of the studies should take place. The purpose of this research period is to instruct the resident how to complete and publish original research in a peer-reviewed otolaryngology journal; residents are encouraged to pursue a topic of personal interest in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Residents are expected to publish in well-known peer-reviewed journals such as Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Archives of Otolaryngology and Laryngoscope.
Teaching
In addition to their own education, residents are partly responsible for educating medical students, as well as other students (e.g., dental, nursing, pediatric residents, physician assistant students) rotating through the various clinical services. This remains an important function of the residents, as these students participate in departmental conferences and grand rounds.
Hospital Exposure
Residents in this program rotate through otolaryngology services located at the University Hospital, Denver Health Medical Center, the Veteran's Administration Hospital of Denver, the Children's Hospital of Denver and St. Joseph's Hospital (a shared rotation with the Kaiser Permanente group). Each hospital has its own service chief who is responsible for the quality of care rendered and the educational experience at that particular institution.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the primary objective of the residency in Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine is to provide a diverse experience in all aspects of modern clinical otolaryngology in addition to a complete theoretical background and research experience. Resident hospital rotations provide an extensive and diverse exposure to the scope of a modern otolaryngologic practice. Didactic and clinical experience in audiologic and vestibular evaluation and speech pathology are included as the residents are taught the importance of ongoing personal scholarship.
Plans for the future include continued fine-tuning of a department which continues to evolve as does our medical center, with its transition to Fitzsimmons. While changes in the current health care system will undoubtedly affect the operational strategies of the various clinical offices associated with this department, our goal will remain the same, i.e., maintenance of excellent clinical care to ensure a superior resident education in teaching, research and patient care. Members of the faculty of this department are committed to this goal and provide a superior environment in which to train. |
