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Considering a career in otolaryngology?

Robust clinical experiences allow trainees to play an integral part of our patient care team spanning all of the subspecialties in Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
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Welcome!

Alex Chiu MD

Greetings from our team at University of Kansas Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery. Our Department is celebrating another busy year filled with growth and continual improvement as we chase our mission of being an inclusive, tight-knit department focused on being leaders in otolaryngology education, research, and clinical care while being team players in the overall health and wellness of our local and global community.

Since the opening of Cambridge Tower A at the main campus of the University of Kansas Health System, we've been enjoying the perks of a state-of-the art surgical building that was 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 and, in addition to our Kansas City, KS; Kansas City, MO; and Shawnee, KS locations, we are now offering ENT services at the KU Corporate Medical Plaza at the Indian Creek Campus in south Johnson County, KS and at the Englewood Center in Gladstone, MO.  

We are proud to be recognized as #34 in the US News and World Report rankings for the best otolaryngology programs in the country.  For the first time, we rose to the top 30 of the Blue Ridge rankings for NIH funding in otolaryngology, which reflects our growth in research capabilities and focus on advancing the field. Our otolaryngology residency program continues to climb in Doximity Residency rankings, currently #24.  This positive movement is a direct result of our efforts to create hands-on opportunities for our residents, carve out time for research and 1:1 mentoring, and support scholarship activities.  Our mentoring program enables professional development and strengthens connections between our residents and faculty.  Additionally, residents now have the option to pursue three individualized tracks during residency: data science, patient safety/quality improvement, and global health/community outreach.  

We are committed to engaging within our local community. In recent years, we have sponsored families in need and partnered with Avenue of Life in Kansas City, Kansas to strengthen our service in our community, address the needs of our neighbors, and provide opportunities for our employees to experience personal growth. We also enjoy collaborating 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 research efforts continue to thrive with the support of recent grant awards. Dr. Sufi Thomas won a 5-year NIH R01 grant to support the innovative basic and translational science her team is doing 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. A multi-institutional team led by Dr. Kevin Sykes won the first DEI grant from AAO-HNSF to examine SDoH in otolaryngology. Dr. Jennifer Villwock landed an R01 for her novel olfaction research focused on diagnosis and treatment of cognitive decline. Dr. Hinrich Staecker continues to bring in private and federal funding with his hearing sciences lab. That's just a few examples... Learn more about our research activities and scholarship in the research section of our website.  

Our faculty are very active and have been showing up in the spotlight at the national level. Dr. Lisa Shnayder is the chair of the Women in Otolaryngology section of AAO-HNS.  Dr. Carrie Francis is the President-Elect of the Society of University Otolaryngologists.  Dr. Keith Sale is the President-Elect of 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 served on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Otolaryngology and serve on the leadership council of the Triologic Society. I served as Editor-in-Chief for ENTtoday 2017-2023 and, in 2020, the publication was ranked as the most read and highest circulation of all otolaryngology journals by the Kantar Survey. 

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 Dr. Carrie Francis is associate dean for workforce innovation and empowerment. Our former department chair Dr. Doug Girod is now Chancellor of the University of Kansas, and he's showing us all how to be stellar leaders. On the health system side, Dr. Keith Sale is the VP for Ambulatory Services and Dr. Greg Ator is the Chief Informatics Officer. And I am the secretary for the University of Kansas Physicians board. 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.

Alexander Chiu, MD
Russell E. Bridwell, MD Endowed Chairman and Professor


A doctor shows a patient something on a laptopPatient Information

Schedule an appointment:
913-588-6701

KU School of Medicine

University of Kansas Medical Center
Department of Otolaryngology–
Head & Neck Surgery
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Mailstop 3010
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-574-0181