With its longstanding legacy of excellence, the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai supports superior clinical services, education, and research. Thanks to the dedication of our physicians and scientists—and the comprehensive training they offer future otolaryngologists—we have maintained our international reputation for consistently moving the entire field forward.

Since its establishment in 1879, the Department has been shaped by innovative and collaborative individuals. From Dr. Sidney Yankauer’s introduction of nearly 30 surgical procedures and instruments, to the work of Dr. Hugh Biller and Dr. William Lawson on the conservation laryngeal surgery and the pectoralis flap, our advances have immeasurably improved the lives of patients. In some cases, they have changed the standard of medical care.

Our multidisciplinary Head and Neck Institute, Center for Thyroid and Parathyroid Diseases, and Skull Base Surgery Center enable us to treat any head and neck disease at any stage. Within all three, we leverage some of the nation’s leading experts in head and neck oncology, neurosurgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, and neuro-otology. Our commitment to our patients drives us to embrace complex cases across the full spectrum of head and neck disease.

We are equally dedicated to our investigative efforts. Our Head and Neck Cancer Research Program, in existence for more than 20 years, has become the primary global resource for dormant cell research over the past decade. We forged the treatment of Transoral Robotic Surgery for oropharyngeal cancers in New York, our facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons were among the first worldwide to adopt the cranial nerve 5 to 7 transfer for Bell’s palsy, and our sleep surgeons were among the earliest adopters of the Inspire® therapy implant device for patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Since 1923, more than 250 residents and 50 fellows have graduated from our Otolaryngology Residency Training Program and fellowships. Many have gone on to lead departments, divisions, and medical corporations, as well as establish reputable clinical practices within the community. Their dedication to scholarship is reflected in the many manuscripts, books, and instructional courses that are the products of their Icahn Mount Sinai training.

Without question, the Department is poised to continue shaping the landscape of otolaryngology in the future. We invite your ideas, vision, and contributions to our commitment to collectively and rapidly advance patient care.

Eric M. Genden, MD, MHCA, FACS
Isidore Friesner Professor and Chairman
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai