The OTOHNS PGY-2 residents rotate at KUMC on both the Blue and Red Teams. Here they have access to all of the KUMC OTOHNS faculty members, as well as four to five more senior residents for supervision and consultation. They are integral members of the OTOHNS Services responsible for pre- and post-operative patient care, as well as the inpatient consultation service. The most important aspect of second-year resident training occurs in conjunction with active patient care. Residents are expected to read about current inpatient and surgical problems and be well versed on these topics during inpatient rounds and surgical procedures. This is facilitated by the OTOHNS Department purchase of the two-volume Bailey's textbook of Head & Neck Surgery-Otolaryngology for all OTOHNS residents early in their training.

Junior residents rotate through the various Sub-Specialty Clinics for orientation and instruction in the OTOHNS history and physical examination, as well as learn basic clinic procedures (fiberoptic laryngoscopy, nasal endoscopy, binocular microscopy, etc.). In these clinics they are also able to follow their own patients under close faculty supervision. As the year progresses, more responsibility is given in a graded fashion.

PGY-2 OTOHNS residents are given early assignment to assist on all surgical procedures and start performing those of a lesser degree of complexity under faculty supervision, such as tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and myringotomy. As their surgical skills progress through the PGY-2 year, additional cases with which the more senior residents have gained adequate experience are also introduced, such as septoplasty, aerodigestive endoscopy, laser surgery and small soft tissue excisions. PGY-2 residents usually finish this year with 800+ cases.

The remainder of the PGY-2 year is split between rotations at CMH, TMC-SLMC and VAMC. At TMC-SLMC, the PGY-2 OTOHNS resident is part of a 2 resident team. The residents share responsibility and participate at both institutions depending on the PGY-level appropriateness of the educational experience. At TMC, educational opportunities in general otolaryngology and head and neck surgery are available. At SLMC, the resident learns under the supervision of both academic and clinical teaching faculty in the setting of a multi-specialty private hospital. At CMH, the resident develops their expertise in the assessment and management of a variety of patient problems from the more common pediatric OTOHNS disorders to many tertiary care pediatric OTOHNS concerns. This is under the guidance of the 6 dedicated CMH pediatric OTOHNS Faculty. The VAMC rotation is under the guidance of the 5 VAMC OTOHNS Faculty and one chief resident. This rotation is an opportunity for the PGY-2 resident to perform patient care, inpatient consultations as well as surgical procedures in a more independent fashion with increasing graded responsibility. The junior resident is predominately responsible in the operating room for aerodigestive tract endoscopy, simple myringoplasty, tonsillectomy, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, septoplasty, simple facial trauma, and facial malignancy excision with local flap reconstruction. The junior OTOHNS resident also works closely with attending staff in the minor operating room. In addition, the junior VAMC OTOHNS resident will also first assist in the more extensive surgical oncologic cases and generally will begin to perform a significant portion of the neck dissection and some of the simpler neck procedures such as submandibular gland excisions.

Furthermore, over the initial months of July and August, each PGY-2 resident takes both the Head and Neck Anatomy and Discussion Course as well as the Basic Science course. These courses help to orient the PGY-2 residents to their OTOHNS training. This is in a small group setting with ample time for interactive learning. Rotations in audiology/vestibular rehabilitation and allergy also occur at KUMC during this initial time period.

top of page