Introducing Our 2025 PGY-1 Otolaryngology Residents
We’re excited to welcome our PGY-1 residents! Joining the 5-Year Track: Audrey Abend (Rutgers), Katherine Gonzalez (CUSM), Nina Stephen (UTSW). On the 7-Year Track: Madison Hearn (Penn State). Welcome aboard!
Announcing Dr. Charles Woodard as Inaugural Vice Chair for Education
Dr. Woodard has been named the inaugural Vice Chair for Education in Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, leading UME, GME, CME, and faculty development across the department.
Otolaryngology Residency Program Leadership Update
Dr. Hughley has been named Associate Program Director, effective 8/1/25. Thank you to Dr. Kahmke for his service as Associate Program Director—his leadership has been instrumental in our program’s growth.
ASPO Webinar Recap: Using Data to Drive Change in Pediatric Otolaryngology
Dr. Jeffrey Cheng led a webinar on using data to improve pediatric care, joined by experts from top children’s hospitals. Topics included AI tools, national data, RCA, and change management—valuable for all experience levels.
Experience, Expertise Critical for Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome Relief
SSCD affects 1–2% of people, but few develop SCDS symptoms. At Duke Health, Dr. Eric J. Formeister leads expert diagnosis and care for SCDS, which causes vertigo, autophony, and more—often overlapping with vestibular migraine, complicating diagnosis.
Dr. Kahmke’s New Designation Highlights Specialized Care for Complex Endocrine Cases
In June 2025, Russel R. Kahmke achieved a major milestone by passing the ABOHNS Adult Complex Thyroid/Parathyroid Surgery Focused Practice Designation exam, advancing his expertise in head and neck surgery.
Duke HNS&CS Showcases Project CHECKERS at CERI’s “Examples from the Field” Session
Duke HNS&CS’s Project CHECKERS was featured in CERI’s “Examples from the Field,” highlighting its innovative mixed-methods approach to community-engaged HNC screening and its partnership with North Raleigh International Baptist Church.
Duke Health: Is Throat Cancer Curable?
If you’ve been diagnosed with throat cancer, also known as pharyngeal cancer, you probably have a lot of questions. Like many other types of cancer, whether throat cancer is curable depends on a lot of factors. Here, Duke Health’s Russel Kahmke, MD -- an ear, nose, and throat doctor and surgical oncologist -- shares his expertise to help you know what to expect.
Hearing Health Takes Center Stage at JOY Group Presentation in Cary
On June 18, Duke experts Dr. Hannah Heet & Dr. Jessica West joined First Cary UMC’s JOY group to share insights on hearing health—blending clinical expertise with personal stories to empower older adults.
Both Aesthetics and Function Are Critical Considerations for Facial Plastic Surgery
Though all plastic surgeons are trained to perform rhinoplasty and most aging face procedures, patients greatly benefit from procedures performed by a facial plastic surgery specialist, according to Alexa M. Franco, MD, an otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon at Duke Health.