The residency program in Otolarynology – Head & Neck Surgery at Stony Brook University is a five-year training program accredited by the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). We began accepting residents in 2017, and there is now a full complement of PGY-1 through PGY-5 trainees. The governing philosophy of our residency program is to train physicians to be competent in all aspects of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. Our faculty strive to promote residents’ career goals, whether that means pursuit of subspecialty fellowship training or general practice.
Click here to visit our Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Residents and Fellows Page.
Our faculty have broad expertise in the entire spectrum of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery procedures. Our multi-specialty team of physicians comprises: David A. Schessel, MD, PhD, chief of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery; Christopher Vanison, MD, residency program director; Keith Chadwick, MD; Lukasz Czerwonka, MD, Huseyin Isildak, MD, Sonya Marcus, MD, and Ghassan J. Samara, MD.
The outpatient facility of the Division of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery is located in a spacious extramural location. The facility includes 11 rooms equipped for basic examination and otomicroscopy; four mobile videotowers; two endoscopy suites which include rhinologic, otologic, and laryngeal telescopes, flexible fiberoptic endoscopes, stroboscopy, and video and still photography; and a minor operating room with a carbon dioxide laser equipped for outpatient OR surgery. In addition, faculty see patients at the Advanced Specialty Care Center in Commack, NY, 15 miles from University Hospital.
The Speech, Language and Hearing Department is located in the adjacent outpatient area. Comprehensive audiologic and speech pathology services are provided, which include standard audiometry, ABR, ENG, OAE, computerized rotational chair, and so forth. The Physical Therapy Department, located in the same building, provides vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
The residency program consists of a dedicated intern year (six months of otolaryngology, six months of surgery), followed by four years of training devoted to otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. All rotations take place at Stony Brook Medicine facilities. This includes Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, Stony Brook Cancer Center, Ambulatory Surgery Center and the Advanced Specialty Care Center. (Click here for information about the structure of training.)
We are a small program, with one resident per post-graduate year. This does create a rigorous training schedule for our trainees, but this is also conducive to a very close-knit relationship between residents and with the faculty. With this small size comes a need for residents to exercise flexibility in terms of case and clinic coverage and scheduling. As this is a newer program, our residents are also afforded the unique opportunity to influence their own training structure and content. The residents in our program gain a broad-based training in all aspects of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. University Hospital is a tertiary referral center, and as such, residents participate in the care of patients of varying medical complexity and from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Ideal applicants to our program should be self-starters. They should be able to thrive while working independently and also as part of a tight-knit team. This is an exciting time for Stony Brook Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, as we continue to expand our faculty and hope to continue to expand the size of the training program in the near future.
Stony Brook ENT is a special residency program! Here, you will receive a rigorous clinical and surgical education, as well as the autonomy to grow and mature into a confident head and neck surgeon. A highlight of our program is that we operate as a close-knit team both in and out of the operating room. We believe that the culture of trust and the relationships we build between residents and attendings are our greatest strengths. These relationships are built not only on in the hospital, but also at our social and professional events. These include beach days, fishing trips, board game nights, BBQs, academic conferences, and team dinners. We are all incredibly proud of our program and would love to share it with you. Visit our Instagram @StonyBrook_ENT to learn a little more about who we are as residents, and feel free to reach out to any of us with questions!
Things to do in Long Island:
- Long Island is a surrounded by beaches (the long island sound to the north and the Atlantic to the east and south). The closest beach is 10 mins from the hospital and the Hamptons are only an hour away
- New York city is only an hour away--take a drive or an easy train ride on the Long Island Railroad
- The North Fork is home to dozens of Long Island's beautiful vineyards and orchards
- Visit Port Jefferson, a vibrant seaside town with dozens of local restaurants and bars
Please see the following page for information about our GME Prospective Residency Program
