The Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine are pleased to announce that the Division of Otolaryngology in the Department of Surgery has received approval to become an academic department at UC San Diego. Already established as a clinical department at UC San Diego Health, the evolution to an academic department reflects the growth and independence of otolaryngology as a top-ranked clinical specialty, a research powerhouse and highlights its excellence in training.
Founded in 1972, the Department of Otolaryngology provides robust education and training experience in all facets of the specialty including neurotology and skull base surgery, head and neck cancer, trauma, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, laryngology, rhinology, sleep surgery and pediatric otolaryngology. The department offers a head and neck residency program with a year of NIH-funded research, two fellowship programs and a joint doctoral program in audiology with San Diego State University.
Recognized as a leader in otolaryngology research, the department has produced more than 700 research publications since July 2018, with nearly 50 percent of those publications involving medical students, residents and fellows. The department currently has over $9 million in research grants and would be ranked in the top five nationally in NIH funding according to Blue Ridge Institution for Medical Research as an academic department.
With more than 35,000 outpatient clinic visits and 2,700 major surgical cases each year, the clinical department provides a full range of consultative and therapeutic services for adult and pediatric patients. The clinical department is home to the top-rated acoustic neuroma program in volume and safety nationally, a comprehensive adult and pediatric cochlear implant program, and the multidisciplinary Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center. Over the last three years, the otolaryngology improved its national ranking from #61 to #14 in the US News & World Report Ear, Nose & Throat rankings.
The Department of Otolaryngology has excelled in all facets of our tripartite mission. We are confident that the distinction as an academic department will allow otolaryngology to bring further academic, clinical and educational recognition to UC San Diego.
