Precision Head and Neck Surgery: 3D Models and Real-time Imaging
Release Date: 12/02/2025
Evolution of The Otolaryngology Workforce Survey
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this in-depth episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Andrew J. Tompkins, MD, and Chair of the AAO-HNS Workforce and Socioeconomic Task Force, unpacks one of the most consequential topics facing the specialty today: workforce data and what it means for patient care, compensation, and access. Dr. Tompkins walks listeners through the origins of the Academy’s workforce reports and explains how rigorous methodology, transparency, and member participation have shaped a series of publicly available reports used by otolaryngologists across the country. The discussion highlights trends in practice...
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Navigating Your First Job: Career Guidance for ENT Residents
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this in-depth and candid episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, sponsored by the Academy's Young Physicians Section, Miguel Rivera, MD, partner at ENT and Allergy Associates of Florida, unpacks one of the most consequential decisions early-career otolaryngologists will make: choosing a practice environment. Drawing on more than two decades of experience across military medicine, academics, VA practice, and private practice leadership, Dr. Rivera offers practical, unfiltered guidance for residents and fellows navigating today’s complex employment landscape. The conversation...
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From Wildfire Smoke to Microplastics: Otolaryngology Has a Place
Voices of Otolaryngology
Kara D. Meister, MD, Chair of the AAO-HNSF Pediatric Otolaryngology Education Committee and pediatric ENT at Stanford Children's Health, shares how environmental exposures are shaping the future of pediatric otolaryngology. Learn about emerging evidence linking wildfire smoke to croup presentations, air quality's role in sleep-disordered breathing, and groundbreaking microplastics research in pediatric tonsils. Dr. Meister, whose personal journey includes losing both parents to cancer after growing up near industrial plants, explains why environmental health is firmly "in our lane" as...
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Why History Matters: Archives, Identity, and Innovation in Otolaryngology
Voices of Otolaryngology
James J. Kearney, MD, Chair of the AAO-HNS History and Archives Committee and the Chair of Otorhinolaryngology at Pennsylvania Hospital, explores how preserving the past shapes the future of otolaryngology. Learn about the Academy's rich historical collections—from Chevalier Jackson's desk and early endoscopic equipment to archival diaries—and discover how the John Q. Adams Center Traveling Museum brings artifacts directly to members at the Annual Meeting. Dr. Kearney shares stories from Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's oldest hospital founded in 1751, and explains why making history...
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From Paper to Practice: Digitizing and Living Clinical Guidelines
Voices of Otolaryngology
Margo M. McKenna Benoit, MD, Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Chair of the AAO-HNSF Guidelines Task Force, joins Maria Michaels, MBA, PMP, Immediate Past Chair of the Guidelines International Network (GIN) North America, to explore the transformation of clinical practice guidelines from static PDFs into dynamic, real-time clinical tools. Together, they tackle a sobering reality: it takes an average of 17 years for scientific evidence to reach clinical practice. Learn how the Guidelines Task Force evaluates and prioritizes new guideline...
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Launch, Learn, and Continue: Transforming Medical Education
Voices of Otolaryngology
Vince Loffredo, EdD, Chief Learning Officer at the American Society of Anesthesiologists and future president of the Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, returns to discuss the rapid evolution of medical education. Learn about his innovative "launch and learn" methodology that's replacing traditional lectures, the shift to bite-sized video content, and practical strategies for engaging diverse learner audiences. Dr. Loffredo shares actionable insights on reducing PowerPoint dependency, structuring effective presentations, leveraging pre-reading materials, and creating...
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Scaling Private Practice and Shaping State Policy
Voices of Otolaryngology
Neil Hockstein, MD, Chair of the Delaware Health Care Commission and co-founder of Parallel ENT, discusses his journey from private practice otolaryngologist to healthcare policy leader. Learn about his COVID-19 response efforts, the formation of Parallel ENT, and his ambitious vision for Delaware's healthcare future, including establishing the state's first four-year medical school. Dr. Hockstein shares valuable insights on practice aggregation, private equity partnerships, and maintaining work-life balance while driving systemic healthcare change. Helpful Resources: OTO Logic Annual Meeting...
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The AAO-HNSF Journal: Breaking New Ground with Dr. Schmalbach
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this special Voices of Otolaryngology episode, recorded live in Indianapolis at the AAO-HNSF 2025 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, host Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, AAO-HNS/F EVP and CEO, sits down with Cecelia E. Schmalbach, MD, MSc, Editor in Chief of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and OTO Open. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of academic publishing, from peer review innovation and global collaboration to the integration of artificial intelligence in research and publishing. Dr. Schmalbach shares insights into bringing the journals' editorial operations back in-house,...
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Inside the RUC: Why 30 Survey Responses Aren't Enough
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this engaging floor-recorded conversation from the AAO-HNSF 2025 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, host Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, AAO-HNS/F EVP and CEO, sits down with R. Peter Manes, MD, associate professor of surgery (otolaryngology) at Yale School of Medicine as well as AAO-HNS/F Board member and Chair of the Academy’s Physician Payment Policy (3P) Workgroup. Together they demystify the alphabet soup of CPT, RUC, and RVUs, explaining how every otolaryngologist—academic or private—can influence reimbursement simply by completing the necessary surveys. Dr....
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Precision Head and Neck Surgery: 3D Models and Real-time Imaging
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, host Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, AAO-HNS/F EVP and CEO, talks with Michael C. Topf, MD, MSCI, a head and neck surgical oncologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Topf shares his groundbreaking work in precision head and neck surgery, including 3D scanning of resected cancer specimens to improve communication among multidisciplinary cancer care teams. The conversation explores his innovative research on specimen-based margin assessment, the development of custom software for annotating 3D models, and his team's pioneering work with...
info_outlineIn this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, host Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, AAO-HNS/F EVP and CEO, talks with Michael C. Topf, MD, MSCI, a head and neck surgical oncologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Topf shares his groundbreaking work in precision head and neck surgery, including 3D scanning of resected cancer specimens to improve communication among multidisciplinary cancer care teams. The conversation explores his innovative research on specimen-based margin assessment, the development of custom software for annotating 3D models, and his team's pioneering work with intraoperative PET-CT scanning. Dr. Topf also discusses his recent $2.5 million ARPA-H grant for optical lightsheet microscopy, the importance of deep margin assessment in head and neck cancer, and offers invaluable advice to early-career researchers about navigating the competitive funding landscape. A son of an otolaryngologist himself, Dr. Topf reflects on his journey from Rochester to Stanford and Vanderbilt, and the clinical unmet needs that drive his research vision.
Helpful Resources:
- Submit your CORE Letter of Intent by December 15, 2025, at 11:59 pm (ET): www.entnet.org/quality-practice/research/core-grants-program/2026-core-funding-opportunity-announcements/