Fellowship in Head and Neck Oncology

Program Director: Joseph Califano, M.D.
Address: 601 N. Caroline Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287
Phone Number: (410) 955-6420
Fax Number: (410) 955-8510
E:mail: jcalifa@jhmi.edu


Faculty involved with the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Fellowship:

A=ablative, M=microvascular, R=research

Wayne M. Koch, M.D. (A)
Christine Gourin, M.D. (A)
David Sidransky, M.D. (R)
Joseph Califano, M.D. (A,R)
John Saunders, M.D. (A)
Ray Blanco, M.D. (A)
Patrick Byrne, M.D. (M)
Kofi Boahene, M.D. (M)
Jeremy Richmon, M.D. (A,M)
Ralph Tufano, M.D. (A)
Sara Pai, M.D. (A,R)
Patrick Ha, M.D. (A,R)
Nishant Agrawal, M.D. (A,R)

Total number of positions available per year: One or two (two year) positions, one year clinical positions may be available.

For July 2010, we will offer a two year fellowship with an initial research year in 2010, followed by a clinical year in 2011.

Director of Research: David Sidransky, M.D.

Objectives:

The objectives of the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Fellowship at Johns Hopkinsis to promote and develop leaders in the field of Academic Head and Neck Oncology.

Emphasis is on broad clinical training includes all aspects of head and neck surgical oncology.  Fellows will have a faculty appointment as Instructor that includes a mentored experience focused on a transition to independence. In particular fellows are developed in terms of skills in clinical teaching within the context of our residency program.  During the clinical year, fellows will participate in clinical and surgical care of patients within faculty practices, but will also have an individual clinical surgical practice that is mentored to become an individual head and neck surgical oncology practice. Research focus includes a rich environment of translational research bridging surgical oncology and molecular biology pertaining to Head and Neck cancer. Fellows completing the program will have finely honed skills in surgical diagnosis and treatment of tumors of the head and neck and will have been introduced to basic laboratory research leading to publication of novel translational findings. Fellows will be comfortable in a teaching role and will have already developed these responsibilities in an academic setting.  The research training may serve as the basis to seek grant funding in order to facilitate the initiation of an academic career.

History:

The Head and Neck Oncology Fellowships at Johns Hopkins began in 1986. It received approval of the American Head and Neck Society in 1993. Dr. David Sidransky joined the program that year. Past fellows include:

Glen Peters, M.D.
Wayne Koch, M.D.
Richard Scher, M.D.
Joseph Brennan, M.D.
Shelly McQuone, M.D.
Michael Spafford, M.D.
David Goldenberg, M.D.
Tony Chuang, M.D.
Patrick Ha, M.D.
Edward Stafford, M.D.

Requirements:

Board eligibility in Otolaryngology, General Surgery or Plastic Surgery

Description of Medical Center:
The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions are world renowned for leadership in clinical medicine, public health and basic biomedical research. Johns Hopkins is a busy regional referral medical center encompassing the full range of clinical medicine with training programs for medical students, residents, and fellows in all major fields. The Head and Neck Oncology Service performs more than half of all major head and neck resections in the state of Maryland as well as drawing from four state regions. Over 300 new cases of HNSCC are managed each year at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

The fellowship also support Johns Hopkins Head and Neck Surgery at GBMC, a regional medical center with a well developed head and neck center that sees approximately 200 new cases of head and neck cancer for all sites annually. 

Outline of the Program:
The first year - is dedicated to research.  Fellows may set up an individualized research training experience in consultation with the fellowship director.  Often fellows will perform research in molecular biology of Head and Neck cancer, or clinical trials methodology. Other studied areas have included bioinformatics, and a variety of opportunities are available throughout Johns Hopkins University.  Training in free tissue transfer may be arranged for selected applicants, and will be carried out throughout both years of the fellowship if this option is selected

The second year - is focused on clinical advanced specialty training pertaining to medical, and surgical treatment of Head and Neck tumors, both benign and malignant. Those applicants choosing to focus in microvascular reconstruction will continue this focus during the second year of fellowship.  Exposure to medical and radiation oncology are included, as well as elective time in endocrinology, pathology, and radiology.  Fellows will have a clinical role at both Johns Hopkins east Baltimore campus and at GBMC with attending faculty clinical practices, as well as a mentored individual clinical practice at Johns Hopkins east Baltimore campus.

Fellowship Caseload:
The following is a list of all cases available to the head and neck fellow for the prior fellowship period.  During the prior year, the fellow performed approximately 400 cases, of which 300 were major procedures.  Approximately 20% of all cases are performed by the fellow as primary attending with mentorship support provided by a faculty mentor.

Salivary gland surgery: 143
Nose and paranasal sinus and skull base surgery:  89
Lip surgery:  14
Oral cavity surgery:  144
Neck surgery:     336
Larynx and pharynx surgery:    333
Thyroid and parathyroid surgery:    234
Tracheal surgery:  82
Ear and temporal bone surgery:  15
Regional/myocutaneous flaps: 45
Microvascular Reconstruction: 107      

Strengths:

The tumor biology research program of the Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery is world renowned as a leader in clinical translational research pertaining to HNSCC. Trainees have been highly successful in launching clinical translational academic careers. Dedicated clinical faculty provide mentorship to help develop skills and knowledge needed for an academic career. The academic milieu includes one of the finest Otolaryngology residency programs in the country, with excellence in every aspect of the field.

Careers of Former Fellows:

Glen Peters, M.D.: Chief of Otolaryngology, University of Alabama
Wayne M. Koch, M.D.: Professor of Otolaryngology, Johns Hopkins
Richard Scher, M.D.: Faculty, Duke University
Joseph Brennan, M.D.: Air Force
Shelly McQuone, M.D.: Faculty, University of Pittsburgh
Michael Spafford, M.D.: Faculty, University of New Mexico
David Goldenberg, M.D.: Faculty, Penn State Hershey Medical Center
Patrick Ha, M.D.: Faculty, Johns Hopkins
Edward Stafford, M.D.: Private practice