Otolaryngology residents are required to participate in a mandatory year of basic surgical training at Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida. This year is structured so that you are trained in the fundamental principles of surgery with relevance to the head and neck. During this year, you are exposed to preoperative, operative, and postoperative management of general surgery patients.

Assignments during this year include rotations with general surgeons, in an emergency medicine and trauma department, in plastic and reconstructive surgery, on a critical care service, and in vascular surgery, neurologic surgery, thoracic surgery, endocrine surgery (two months), anesthesiology, and otolaryngology and head and neck surgery (three months).

During the second year, you are assigned in tutorial fashion to a faculty member (one-on-one). You receive comprehensive training in otolaryngologic diagnostic procedures, perform most minor surgical procedures, and assist with or primarily perform major operations depending on your skill level. You are given the opportunity to develop and refine your clinical skills in medical history evaluation and head and neck examinations.

During this year, you spend three months on a focused pediatric head and neck surgery rotation at Nemours Children's Specialty Care. You are also in rotations in general ear-nose-throat, audiology, allergy and immunology, and sleep medicine, as well as receive hands-on instruction in speech therapy.

During the PGY-3 year, you are able to demonstrate preoperative, operative, and postoperative care of patients with common otolaryngologic diagnoses and head and neck, otologic, and maxillofacial trauma episodes.

It is expected that you perform complete histories and head and neck examinations on the patients seen in the clinic and order appropriate diagnostic tests. As you progress through the rotations, you are increasingly responsible for the preoperative evaluation, preparation, and postoperative follow-up of patients. Once you have demonstrated reasonable familiarity with various surgical techniques, you progress to performing more-complex portions of the operations.

During the PGY-3 year, you are required to spend three months participating in a research project of some significance aimed at publication and presentation at regional, national, or international meetings.

You continue to gain knowledge regarding the broad spectrum of otolaryngologic, head and neck disease processes. You also continue to broaden your experience in the areas of laryngology, otology, rhinology, and anterior skull base surgery, head and neck surgery, as well as plastic and reconstructive surgery.

The chief resident year focuses on all plenary aspects of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery. As chief resident, you are responsible for all activities on your service under the supervision of faculty. Responsibility for patient care, teaching, and administration teaching requires the chief resident to develop judgment and the ability to work with fellow residents as well as staff.

As chief resident, you run your own surgical service, have your own clinic calendars, and see patients under the supervision of the faculty. You are fully responsible for the evaluation, diagnosis, and therapeutic management of the patient.

Weekly conferences include:

• Head and neck tumor board (including pathology)
• Basic science conference
• Core curriculum and clinical management

Monthly conferences include:

• Morbidity and mortality
• Journal club
• Head and neck radiology
• Laryngology rounds

Annual courses include:

• Temporal bone anatomy and surgery
• Head and neck anatomy
• Head and neck reconstruction