Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Welcome!

Greetings from our team at University of Kansas Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery. Our Department is celebrating another exciting year filled with exceptional growth and continual improvement as we pursue our mission of being an inclusive, tight-knit department focused on leading in otolaryngology education, research clinical care and community outreach.

We are proud to be recognized as #23 in the US News and World Report rankings for the best otolaryngology care in the country.  Since the opening of Cambridge Tower A at the main campus of the University of Kansas Health System, we've been providing surgical care in a state-of-the art building designed to optimize surgical efficiency and patient-centered care while serving the round-the-clock needs of our hard-working medical professionals.  We continue to expand our clinical services across the region.  In addition to our locations at the University of Kansas Hospital Main Campus in Kansas City, KS; KU MedWest in Shawnee, KS; Children’s Mercy, St Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City VA Medical Center, and University Health Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, MO, we are now offering ENT services at the KU Corporate Medical Plaza and the Indian Creek Campus in south Johnson County, KS and at the Englewood Center in Gladstone, MO.

We are committed to engaging within our local community.  In the Spring of 2024 and 2025, we co-hosted the ¡Goals for Health: Fiesta, Salud y Futbol! soccer clinic and wellness fair in Kansas City, Missouri with community and government partners.  We sponsor families in need through local shelters and partner with the Rosedale Development Association to support the All-Rosedale Cleanup in the neighborhood where our main campus is located. In addition to picking up litter, removing brush, maintaining trails, and providing supplies, our volunteers enjoy meeting our neighbors and learning about other local organizations.

Our otolaryngology residency program continues to climb in Doximity Residency rankings, currently #24.  This upward movement is a direct result of our efforts to create hands-on surgical training opportunities for our residents, carve out time for research and 1:1 mentoring, and offer specialized tracks in AI and health information, patient safety and quality improvement, bioethics and health equity, and global health and community outreach.  In the past year, three of our residents have won competitive grants for studies they are leading.

Since investing in growing our research capabilities since 2017, we have risen to #40 in the Blue Ridge Medical Institute rankings for NIH funding in otolaryngology.  Our research efforts continue to thrive with the support of recent grant awards. Dr. Jennifer Villwock was the first surgeon-scientist at KU to land 5-year NIH R01 and DOD grants focused on leveraging AI for early detection and diagnosis of cognitive decline. Dr. Sufi Thomas won a 2-year DOD grant and 5-year NIH R01 grant to support innovative basic and translational science to combat head and neck cancer. Dr. Andrés Bur received COBRE, KU Cancer Center Pilot, and R03 awards to develop machine learning algorithms to inform diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancers. Dr. Hinrich Staecker and Dr. Jim Lin continue to bring in industry funding for neurotology research. Learn more about our research activities and scholarship in the research section of our website.  

Our faculty are very active at the national level. Dr. Carrie Francis is President of the Society of University Otolaryngologists.  Dr. Keith Sale is President of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, and Dr. Jennifer Villwock also serves on the AAOA Board of Directors.  Dr. Jim Lin is the head of the 3P (Physicians Payment Policy) committee for the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.  Drs. Kiran Kakarala, Lisa Shnayder, Andres Bur, and Sufi Thomas continue to be key leaders in the American Head and Neck Society, as they chair major committees within the society.  I am the Immediate Past Chair of the Women in Otolaryngology section of AAO-HNS.  All of our faculty and trainees are encouraged to apply to serve on committees within the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and subspecialty societies.

On a local level, our faculty continue to hold major leadership roles in the school of medicine and health system. Dr. Dianne Durham is Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Development, and Dr. Carrie Francis is Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Development. Our former department chair Dr. Doug Girod is now Chancellor of the University of Kansas, and he continues to be a mentor and a role model for many of us. On the health system side, Dr. Keith Sale is the VP/Chief Physician Executive for Ambulatory Services and Chief Informatics Officer.

Keep up with our Department from wherever you are by following us on social media @ku_ent on Instagram, @KU_ENT on Twitter, and @kuotolaryngology on Facebook.  We look forward to connecting with you.

Lisa Shnayder, MD, FACS
Chair & Clinical Service Chief
Douglas A. Girod MD Endowed Professor of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
Director, Division of Head and Neck Surgery

Patient Information

• KU Health System Website
• Pediatrics New Patient Packet (PDF)
• Adult New Patient Packet (PDF)

Schedule an appointment:
913-588-6701