The Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences would like to express our gratitude to all those who attended this year's Alumni Resident Research Symposium on Friday, June 16, 2023.
With the establishment of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences (HNS&CS) as an independent department in 2019, we have attained new opportunities to support and expand our Vision for research, teaching, patient care and community engagement. Department status has especially enabled us to enhance our research community, grow our external funding for research, and provide abundant opportunities for trainees. Our basic, translational, and clinical research programs leverage the resources at Duke to advance knowledge, enhance practice, and drive optimal treatment outcomes.
Our annual Alumni Research Day allows us to focus on the Department’s academic achievements and reconnect with our alumni. This year, we shared presentations from graduating chief residents and fellows, a selection of mid-level residents with highly productive current projects, and medical students who were funded by our NIH R25 training grant. Marisa Ryan, MD, an alumnus, shared advice on career development, and Steve Eliades, MD, PhD gave an outstanding faculty research talk. A true highlight of this year’s program was the William Hudson lecture, given by Deb Tucci, MD, MBA, past faculty member and current Director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Director. We were joined by the family of Dr. Samuel Fisher who awarded our PGY-1 residents with new loupes that were funded by the newly established Samuel R. Fisher, MD, Memorial Fund for Resident Education. This endowment supports residents by providing equipment and unique educational experiences that directly benefit the educational and professional development of residents in our program. Department events provide an opportunity to highlight our focus on community engagement and ongoing efforts to improve health disparities in otolaryngology. An integral component of these efforts is strengthening our pipeline of highly talented trainees from diverse backgrounds, to produce a pool of superb future surgeon-scientists. Structures such as our R25 training program enable us to support these key efforts.
We extend our appreciation to our graduating residents and fellows for the passion and dedication you bring to your work every day. To our alumni, your unwavering support for the department and your confidence in our responsible growth are truly valued. To the faculty mentors, your academic expertise and generous spirit continue to inspire and motivate our trainees to pursue further knowledge and drive innovation. And to all our fellows, residents and students, thank you for entrusting us with your future, allowing us to guide you and assist you in navigating the best possible path forward.
Congratulations to our graduates for their remarkable achievements!
Brad Goldstein, MD, PhD, Vice Chair for Research
Howard Francis, MD, Chair
