Otolaryngology Research Fellowship

College

  • Center City Campus
  • Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Degree Earned

  • Fellowship

Program Length

1 year

Program Type

  • On Campus

Requirements

Applicant Information

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Name: Joseph Curry, MD
Positions:
  • Co-Director
  • Vice Chair, Research
  • Professor
Name: Meghan Crippen, MD
Position: Co-Director

Program Information Contact

Name: Elizabeth Kangas, RN, MS, CCRC, ACRP-PM
Position: Administrative Director

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The Department of Otolaryngology at Thomas Jefferson University has funded and unfunded positions for 12 months of formal training in clinical and basic science research. Each fellow has the opportunity to conduct research in any field within the department, including but not limited to, head and neck cancer, rhinology and skull-base surgery, facial plastics, sleep surgery and otology.

All fellows work closely with other specialties in multi-disciplinary research including medical/radiation oncology, sleep medicine, radiology, ophthalmology, neurosurgery and oral surgery.

Projects in the department largely include clinical trials, retrospective and prospective clinical research, basic science research, meta-analyses and translational research.

Examples of present studies include:

  • Platelet rich plasma for post-COVID anosmia randomized clinical trial
  • Virtual reality for surgical planning of resectable head and neck cancer clinical trial
  • Objective evaluation of CPAP use and safety after endoscopic skull base surgery
  • Interoperative evaluation of nasal valve repair interventions
  • Use of topical furosemide for the treatment of nasal polyps clinical trials
  • Enhanced Tobacco Intervention Protocol (ETIP) clinical trial
  • Human papillomavirus diagnosis and relationships
  • Likelihood of recovery from sudden sensorineural hearing loss in relationship to symptom onset

Currently active databases include Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS), Parotid Gland Reconstruction, Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) Tumor Biorepository and Intraductal Papilloma (IP) Biorepository.

Research fellows work closely with several clinical laboratories, including the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) Clinical Cancer Immunology Core Facility, Dermatology & Cutaneous Biology and the SKCCC Biorepository.

The fellowship is geared towards those seeking a research year between their third and fourth years of medical school, recent graduates interested in training in Otolaryngology, or international candidates who have graduated from an ENT residency outside of the US and are looking for research opportunities. The research fellowship includes a month-long clinical sub-internship at Jefferson Hospital.

It is our wholehearted belief in the Department of Otolaryngology that each research fellow is an integral part of the team.

Joseph Curry, MD Vice Chair, Research

Educational Objectives

The goal of this fellowship is to offer fellows the skills necessary to foster a career in academic Otolaryngology. In addition, our program will prepare applicants for a competitive Otolaryngology residency and/or academic careers.

Skills learned during the fellowship include:

  • Biostatistics (SPSS, R, Prism) and electronic data capture (REDCap) software
  • Grant, manuscript and IRB document writing  
  • Clinical trial coordination   
  • Research presentations (posters, oral)
  • Working intimately with various healthcare professionals

Scholarship for Underrepresented Groups in Medicine

Each year the program awards a scholarship to one research fellow who self-identifies as being from a group historically underrepresented in medicine. 

Past Awardees

  • 2022 - Victor Jegede
  • 2021 - Arielle Best

Working & Living in Philadelphia

Jefferson is located in Center City, which is the heart of Philadelphia.

The Otolaryngology office is less than a block from Thomas Jefferson Hospital, which is surrounded by great restaurants, rich history, and plenty of fun activities. Jefferson Hospital is located near many historic sites such as the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center.