Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery at Oakland

Curriculum and Academics

The Bay Area Residents' Research Symposium (BARRS)

Residents are expected to participate in the Annual Bay Area Residents' Research Symposium. It is a unique program intended for presenting resident research. BARRS has grown over the past few years to include residency programs from all over California, and our residents have won numerous awards for their research presentations. For more information, visit our Research page.

Journal Club

Journal Club is a monthly dinner meeting held with the full-time and courtesy staff and all residents to discuss related journals. This is an important meeting for developing social interactions between residents and staff. It also serves the important function of keeping up with the latest published developments in otolaryngology.

Departmental Ground Rounds

Ground Rounds is offered quarterly. It includes two formal presentations on otolaryngologic topics – one presented by a resident and the other by a staff physician. Morbid and Mortality conference is held in association with Grand Rounds.

Morbidity and Mortality

Morbidity and Mortality reviews medical and surgical complications in an open and educational setting on a quarterly basis. This is a very important conference for developing clinical judgment skills.

Research Methodology

The Applied Research Training in Clinical Epidemiology (A.R.T.I.C.L.E.) course is taught as eight weekly lectures every other year.

HNS Anatomy

Anatomy of the Head, Neck, and Chest is a series of staff lectures followed by resident-performed, staff-supervised dissections held on a weekly basis for four months.

Temporal Bone Dissection Course

Anatomy of the Temporal Bone is presented weekly for four months by full-time and consultant staff as a series of lectures and temporal bone dissections.

Basic Science Review

The Basic Science Review is held weekly to cover basic and clinic science topics on a cyclical schedule. These review sessions are the foundation on which our didactic program is built. All aspects of our specialty are covered in a methodical and comprehensive fashion. This program serves as excellent preparation for the annual in-service examination and ultimately our specialty's board examination. Topics and a review schedule are provided in advance. Residents present the reviews with a staff attending assigned to add relevant input.

Society Lectures

The Northern California Kaiser Permanente Head and Neck Surgery Society presents a semi-annual dinner meeting for staff and residents with guest speakers on various topics of interest.

Head and Neck Pathology

Head and Neck Pathology is taught every other month by our Board Certified Pathologists. The session is devoted to reviewing interesting HNS surgical pathologic slides from the preceding month.

Embryology and Genetics

Embryology and Genetics didactic sessions are held monthly by a full-time geneticist on topics relating to the head and neck.

Allergy and Immunology

Allergy and Immunology is presented in the PGY-2 and PGY-3 years in a series of talks during the allergy rotation.

Introduction to Clinical Otolaryngology

Introduction to Clinical Otolaryngology is modeled after ICM courses in medical school. It is a practical, how-to-manage common otolaryngologic emergencies course intended primarily for junior residents.

Soft Tissue Course

Soft Tissue Course is a multi-institutional course sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. This day-long lecture series and cadaver lab emphasizes suturing techniques and local skin flaps. It is taught by the facial plastic surgeons from our local university programs.

Head and Neck Oncology Pretreatment Conferences

Head and Neck Oncology Pretreatment Conferences are held bi-weekly. The panel consists of head and neck surgeons, radiation therapists, a medical oncologist, pathologist, dentist, dental prosthodontist, social worker, nutritionist, and allied specialists as needed. Physicians and paramedical personnel from Kaiser Permanente, private practice, and the University of California San Francisco participate. Visiting professors and guest lecturers attend annually.

Audiology Lectures

Audiology Lectures on topics of diagnostic audiology and auditory rehabilitation are presented bi-weekly by staff audiologists.

Speech and Language Pathology

Speech and Language Pathology is taught annually through a series of lectures, conferences, and observation sessions.

Videotape Review

Educational videotapes featuring prominent otolaryngologists and produced under the auspices of our national academy are reviewed bi-weekly as a group over lunch.

Facial Trauma

The facial trauma course is taught bi-weekly by one of our Maxillofacial Surgeons with extensive trauma experience.

Facial Plastics Lecture

Facial Plastic Lecture Series is held monthly and consists of lectures by our MOH's chemosurgeons regarding the variety of useful local flap techniques for facial reconstruction.

Radiology Conferences

Radiology Conferences are held quarterly to review specific OHNS cases by the radiology attending staff.

Interdepartmental Conferences

Interdepartmental Conferences with medicine, neurology, oncology, and pediatrics are held quarterly discussing topics of mutual interest. Resident presentations are featured in these conferences.

Facial Plating In-Service

Facial Plating In-Service is provided by the vendors of our two plating systems to update techniques and equipment on an every other year basis.

Laser In-Service

Laser In-Service is sponsored by our vendors on an every other year basis to update our laser techniques and equipment. We have Argon, KTP, CO2 and YAG Lasers at our disposal.

Our department sponsors 25-30 conferences each month. Additionally, other facility and regional conferences are available. The Bay Area is a very popular convention destination and our residents frequently are able to participate in national or regional meetings in San Francisco.

During your interview day you will have the opportunity to peruse our most recent calendar schedules and appreciate the daily academic and educational atmosphere we strive to maintain in our program.