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Video

Professional and Personal Development

(A1029) Trends and Academic Attributes of U.S. ENT Residency Program Directors: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation

Monday, October 13, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT
Location: OTO EXPO, Posters

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Pooja D. Reddy, BS

    Medical Student
    University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Brandon Aguilar, B.S.

    Medical Student
    University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

  • Anthony J. Tang, BS

    Medical Student
    University of Pittsburgh
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

  • MH

    Micah K. Harris, MD

    Resident, Department of Otolaryngology
    University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
    pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

  • Rachel L. Whelan, MD

    Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology
    Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh
    PGH, Pennsylvania, United States

  • Jessica H. Maxwell, MD, MPH

    Associate Professor
    Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Noel Jabbour, MD, MS, FACS

    Associate Professor
    Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Disclosure(s):
Pooja D. Reddy, BS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Brandon Aguilar, B.S.: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Micah K. Harris, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Rachel L. Whelan, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Jessica H. Maxwell, MD, MPH: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Noel Jabbour, MD, MS, FACS: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: Residency program directors (PDs) are essential to otolaryngology training, yet most research focuses on residency programs as a whole. This cross-sectional study aims to characterize the academic attributes of current U.S. otolaryngology PDs. The goal is to capture shifts in recent PD appointments in order to better understand future criteria of PD selection and to set expectations for those striving for PD appointment.

Methods: 126 U.S. ENT program directors were analyzed. Descriptive data, including academic productivity (number of publications, H-index), gender, NIH funding, and subspecialties, were collected from publicly available sources.

Results: We found that 63.5% (80/126) of PDs are male, and 21.7% (27/126) identify as part of a racial or ethnic minority. Nearly half (49.2%; 62/126) had completed some portion of their training at their current institution before becoming PD. Advanced degrees (most commonly PhD, MBA, or MPH) were held by 18.3% (23/126) of PDs and the PDs with advanced degrees had nearly double the publication output of their counterparts (80.0 vs. 40.8 publications; p< 0.01). External hires account for 8.3% (10/126) of PDs and show a trend toward higher H-index values (17.4 vs. 12.0, p=0.25), total publication counts (94.9 vs. 45.4, p=0.226), and NIH funding rates (20.0% vs. 10.0%, p=0.33) compared to internal hires. The most common subspecialties among all PDs are Head and Neck Surgery (20.6%; 26/126) and Rhinology (18.3%; 23/126). Among female PDs specifically, the most common are Pediatrics (17.4%; 8/46) and Laryngology (8.70%; 4/46).

Conclusions: ENT PDs are often internal hires, with nearly half completing some portion of their training at their current institution. A significant portion of PDs hold additional advanced degrees, which are associated with increased academic productivity. For those considering a career in educational leadership, advanced degrees and strong research credentials may become increasingly critical.