Fellowship in Head & Neck Oncology & Reconstructive Surgery

Wendy & Keith Wellin Head & Neck Center
Hollings Cancer Center
135 Rutledge Avenue, MSC 550
Charleston, SC 29425-5500

headneck@musc.edu
843-792-8363
Fax: 843-792-0546

Department Chair: Robert F. Labadie, M.D., Ph.D., FACS
Program Director: Jason G. Newman, M.D., FACS
newmajas@musc.edu
Program Coordinator: Mark Bouknight
bouknigh@musc.edu
843-792-0719

  • Head and Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery - one year
  • Apply through American Head & Neck Society
  • Head and Neck Oncology Research Fellowship - one or two years
  • Head and Neck Observational Clinical Fellowship - three to 12 months

Faculty Involved With the Fellowship

  • Jason G. Newman, M.D., FACS, Head & Neck Surgery

  • W. Greer Albergotti, III, M.D., Head & Neck Surgery

  • Evan M. Graboyes, M.D., MPH, FACS, Head & Neck Surgery, Microvascular

  • Alexandra E. Kejner, M.D., FACS, Head & Neck Surgery

  • Judith Skoner, M.D., Head & Neck Surgery, Microvascular

  • Krishna Patel, M.D., Ph.D., Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

  • Byung Joo Lee, DDS, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics

  • John Kaczmar, M.D., Medical Oncology

  • Paul O’Brien, M.D., Medical Oncology

  • Julie Blair, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech Pathology

  • Martin Steed, DDS, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

  • Mary Richardson, DDS, M.D, Head & Neck Pathology 

  • Gisele Matheus, M.D., Head & Neck Radiology

  • Vittoria Spampinato, M.D., Head & Neck Radiology

  • Jyotika Fernandes, M.D., Endocrine Oncology

  • Alex Vandergift, M.D., Neurosurgery/ Skull Base Surgery

  • Sunil Patel, M.D., Neurosurgery/ Skull Base Surgery

  • Joel Cook, M.D., Mohs & Dermatologic Oncology

  • Katherine Sterba, Ph.D., Quality of Life and Survivorship

  • Besim Ogretmen, Ph.D., Lipidomics in Head and Neck Cancer

  • Steve Rosenzweig, Ph.D., Signaling in Head and Neck Cancer

  • Viswanathan Palanisamy, Ph.D., Craniofacial Biology

  • Kavi Nallamala, SLP, Speech Pathology 

Total Number of Positions Available per Year: Two one-year clinical fellowships

Program Description

Clinical

The Head and Neck Tumor Center at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is one of the largest programs in the US devoted to the care of the head and neck cancer patient. The program is based within the Wellin Head and Neck Clinic and partnered with MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, the only NCI-designated cancer center in South Carolina. The focus of the MUSC Head and Neck Tumor Center is on providing compassionate, comprehensive, and innovative care to all patients and their families. Overall, 750 to 800 new patients with head and neck cancer are evaluated at MUSC annually.

The Head and Neck Tumor Center has a strong multidisciplinary focus, with providers from Head and Neck Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Speech/ Swallowing Therapy, Dental Oncology, Nutrition, Social Work, and related fields working together to provide the optimal care for head and neck cancer patients. In 2011, the Head and Neck Tumor Center was cited as the best interdisciplinary clinical program at MUSC. The Head and Neck Tumor Center also has an extremely robust research portfolio. Currently, the program has 15 open clinical trials in head and neck cancer, along with 10 NIH-funded basic science laboratories or translational research programs with over four million dollars annually in research funding. The surgeons involved in the fellowship have a strong state, national, international and international reputation and collaboration. Surgeons and fellows will have the opportunity to practice and see patients at MUSC, VA Hospital, and several outlying hospitals, clinics and surgery centers. The Department of Otolaryngology – HNS at MUSC is ranked 10th nationally among Otolaryngology departments for NIH funding, with over $5.5 million in current grants. The most recent U.S. News & World Report ranked MUSC Health ENT as #11 in the Nation, the top ranked ENT group in the Southeast US.

The Fellowship in Surgical Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction of the Head and Neck at MUSC provides the highest level of training in the management and surgical treatment of head and neck cancer. Each Fellow enters as Clinical Instructor level faculty and will have appointments at academic and private hospitals while performing approximately 280 major cases per year as primary surgeon.

Depending on their level of interest, fellows will participate in 70 to 160 cases of microvascular free tissue transfer for head and neck reconstruction. Fellows also have the opportunity to perform surgical procedures with surgeons from other specialties, including Facial Plastics, Dermatologic Surgery, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ophthalmology, Thoracic Surgery, and Vascular Surgery. In addition to working with senior faculty in a clinical setting, each Fellow also has an independent head and neck cancer clinic and is not responsible for general otolaryngology patients. In this setting, fellows evaluate new patients each week and have primary management responsibility for all patients seen in their clinic. All patients evaluated in the Fellows’ clinic who require surgical intervention are operated upon by the Fellows with the supervision or assistance of senior faculty as appropriate. In this manner, Fellows have the opportunity to function largely independently as junior faculty in accordance with their skill and experience levels. Fellows also have short clinical rotations with specialists from Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, Oral Pathology, Head & Neck Pathology, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, and Speech Pathology. Research opportunities abound. Fellows participate in all Head and Neck Clinical Trials meetings and are required to complete at least one translational research project during the fellowship along with other clinical studies or review projects. For those interested in undertaking more dedicated research time, there is the option to devote an additional year exclusively to research.

Research Faculty

Goals & Objectives

The goals and objectives of the Fellowship in Surgical Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction of the Head and Neck are as follows:

  • Provide comprehensive, hands-on training in Head and Neck Surgery including the treatment of complex endoscopic and open aerodigestive, cutaneous, endocrine, and skull base neoplasms.
  • Establish a strong foundation in research methods in preparation for a career in academic Head and Neck Surgery.
  • Instill a team-based multidisciplinary approach and philosophy for addressing the most complex issues confronting the Head and Neck surgeon.
  • Provide thorough training in microvascular techniques for reconstruction of head and neck defects.

Eligibility

Applicants for the head and neck oncologic and reconstructive fellowship must have completed a residency program in Otolaryngology, General Surgery or Plastic Surgery. The applicant should have significant experience in surgery of the head and neck and be BC/BE in Otolaryngology, General Surgery, or Plastic Surgery. A South Carolina medical license must be obtained prior to the fellowship year as well as VA privileges. Applicants are required to complete a written application, including three letters of reference, and a personal on-site interview. All interested US and Canadian fellowship applicants must be registered with the Match Program of the Advanced Training Council of The American Head and Neck Society to be considered for a position. The Medical University of South Carolina is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Supervision

The Fellow will participate in the outpatient evaluation and treatment, inpatient care, and surgical treatment of over 800 new patients per year. The Fellow will work under the supervision of senior faculty, but will also have the opportunity to increasingly function independently during the course of the raining year as appropriate. Trainees are evaluated monthly by program faculty and semiannual reviews are performed with the Program Director in person.

Accreditation Status

The Fellow will be provided a certificate of completion of the fellowship upon satisfactory achievement of required goals and objectives by MUSC. In addition, Fellows are expected to apply for accreditation and membership in the American College of Surgeons and the Advanced Training Council of the American Head and Neck Society.

Careers of Former Fellows

2002 to 2003
Michael Burnett, M.D. - New York Otolaryngology Group, New York, NY

2003 to 2004
Serap Koybasi, M.D. - Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey

2004 to 2005
Joshua D. Hornig, M.D. - Head and Neck Specialists, Charleston, SC

2005 to 2006
Allen O. Mitchell, M.D. - Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA

2006 to 2007
Oleg N. Militsakh, M.D. - University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

2007 to 2008
Luke O. Buchmann, M.D. - University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

2008 to 2009
Nadia Mohyuddin, M.D. - Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

2009 to 2010
Tanya Fancy, M.D. - West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, WV

2010 to 2011
Wayne Cardoni, M.D. - National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
Trinita Cannon, M.D. - University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK

2011 to 2012
Barry T. Malin, M.D., M.P.P.
Akash Anand, M.D. - Private Practice, Metairie, LA

2012 to 2013
Arnaud Bewley, M.D. - University of California, Davis
Mayuri Rajapurkar, M.D. - Private Practice, Nadiad, Gurarat, India

2013 to 2014
Jeffrey Houlton, M.D. - University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Paul Tennant, M.D. - University of Louisville, Louisville, KY

2014 to 2015
Rusha Patel, M.D. - West Virginia University
Shaum Sridharan, M.D. - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA

2015 to 2016
Sobia Khaja, M.D. - University of Minnesota
Elizabeth Nicolli, M.D. - University of Miami

2016 to 2017
Evan Graboyes, M.D. - Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Suhael Momin, M.D. - Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI

2017 to 2018
Robert Brody, M.D. - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Greer Albergotti, M.D. - Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

2018 to 2019
Angela D. Haskins, M.D. - Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Mark W. Kubik, M.D. - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA

2019 to 2020
Mahmoud I. Awad, M.D. - United Health Services, Birmingham, NY
Peter M. Horwich, M.D. - Head and Neck Specialists, Charleston, SC

2020 to 2021
Joel C. Davies, M.D. - University of Toronto, Ontario
Vilija Jo Vaitaitis, M.D. - Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA

2021 to 2022
Alana N. Aylward, M.D. - Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, WA

2021 to 2023
Julian D. Amin, M.D. - ENT & Allergy of Delaware

2023 to 2024
Madelyn Stevens, M.D. - University Hospitals ENT Institute, Cleveland, OH

2024 to 2025 - current fellows
Amanda Gemmitti, M.D.
Quinn Self, M.D.