Our Fellowship Programs

Otology/Neurotology

The Michigan Ear Institute Fellowship in Neurotology/Skull Base surgery has produced some of the finest neurotologic surgeons in the country. A combination of the excellence of the program of study, the caseload available, and the subsequent success of our high quality graduates has made the reputation of the fellowship exceptional. Our fellow graduates hold leadership positions in both private practice and academic practice groups as well as many national organizations including the American Otological Society, the American Neurotological Society, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, among others. They also serve as chairman of several otology programs across the country.

This ACGME-accredited fellowship program is well positioned to maintain its excellence in patient care, research, and education training producing well-trained candidates for the certificate of added qualifications (CAQ) examination in neurotology administered by the American Board of Otolaryngology (ABO).

The fellowship in Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery involves two years of training. Candidates with a demonstrated experience in otology/skull base surgery will further their training after completion of this fellowship.

Specific Duties of the Fellow

Operating Room Experience:

The fellow will participate in caring for all otologic surgical patients in the clinic, inpatient, outpatient, and operative settings. The fellow’s hands-on operative experience will be focused toward all surgical procedures performed by the staff physicians including assisting in chronic ear surgery and stapes procedures. The majority of the skull base cases consist of acoustic neuroma operations, cochlear implants, vestibular nerve sections and labyrinthectomy, and an assortment of complex facial nerve and lateral skull base surgery procedures. Translabyrinthine, retrosigmoid, and middle cranial fossa approaches are used. Newer advances are also utilized, such as stereotactic radiotherapy and endoscopic approaches.

Clinical Patient Care:

Applicants must be eligible for the American Board of Otolaryngology examination or already board-certified. A training license to practice medicine in the state of Michigan is required for duties related to the training program. The fellow is appointed as a house officer due to ACGME regulations. The fellow will undertake the following duties related to clinical patient care:

Assist faculty in evaluation of outpatients with otologic complaints, approximately two days per week.
Become sophisticated in audiologic and vestibular diagnosis, including the interpretation of audiograms, ENG and oculomotor testing, rotational chair testing, dynamic posturography, and other testing.
Help MEI clinic staff/nurses/medical assistants triage otologic consultations and patients.

Temporal Bone Laboratory:

The Temporal Bone Dissection Laboratory has 15 stations with otologic drills, binocular operating microscopes and monitors for instruction. Fellows are encouraged to spend extended blocks of time in the Temporal Bone Lab perfecting surgical skills, particularly those related to transtemporal approaches to the internal auditory canal and other advanced techniques required for neurotologic surgery. Several courses will be performed by staff members from Neuroscience for otologic fellows, craniofacial fellows, and neurosurgical residents.

Teaching:

There are monthly journal club conferences, as well as didactic sessions and supervised temporal bone dissection for residents and fellows on service and this is organized by the fellows.

Research:

A research project must be completed by the second year of training. This project may be the continuation of a prior research interest, a clinical research undertaking, or a basic science research project. Protected time is made in order to accomplish this research task.

To apply for a fellowship position at Michigan Ear Institute log into the San Francisco Match website at sfmatch.org.

Past Fellows:

Linstrom Christopher M.D. 87-89 New York
Cass Stephen M.D. 88-90 Aurora, CO
Cramer Henry M.D. 89-90 Long Beach, CA
Diaz-Ordaz Ernesto M.D. 90-91 Williamsville, NY
Lundy Larry M.D. 90-91 Jacksonville
Zappia John M.D. 91-92 Farmington Hills, MI
Esses Barbara M.D. 91-92 Englewood, CO
Sargent Eric M.D. 92-93 Farmington Hills, MI
Wayman John M.D. 92-93 Rochester, NY
Liening Douglas M.D. 92-93 Hixson, TN
Antonelli Patrick M.D. 93-94 Gainesvile, FL
Burgio Don M.D. 93-94 Jackson, MI
Gianoli Gerard M.D. 94-95 Baton Rouge LA
Marlan Robert M.D. 94-95 Olympia WA
Duff Brian M.D. 95-96 Providence RI
Peterson Brian M.D. 95-96 W Jordan UT
Hamill Nicholas M.D. 96-97 Tacoma WA
Shah Darsit M.D. 96-97 Ocean NJ
Maw Jennifer M.D. 97-98 San Jose CA
McFeely William M.D. 97-99 Huntsville AL
Michaelides Elias M.D. 98-2000 Orange CT
Payman Rami M.D. 99-2001 Poughkeepsie NY
Kato Maya M.D. 2000-02 Palm Desert CA
Balough Ben M.D. 2000-02 San Diego CA
Ostrowski Vince M.D. 2001-03 Indianapolis IN
Patni Aftab M.D. 2002-2004 Winter Park FL
Babu Seilesh M.D. 2002-2004 Farmington Hills MI
Villasuso Eloy M.D. 2003-2005 Weston FL
Shaia Wayne M.D. 2004-2006 Richmond VA
Diaz Rodney M.D. 2004-2006 Sacramento CA
Hadley Kevin M.D. 2005-2007 Honolulu HI
Becvarovski Zoran M.D. New Australia
Wong Marc M.D. Honolulu HI
Chan Eleanor M.D. 2006-2008 Farmington Hills MI
Artz Gregory M.D. 2006-2008 Philadelphia PA
Pfannenstiel Travis MD 2007-2009 San Diego CA
Lee Alice M.D. 2008-2010 Riverside CA
Hahn Yoav M.D. 2008-2010 Dallas TX
Naumann Ilka M.D. 2009-2011 Farmington Hills MI
Porter Ryan M.D. 2010-2012 Champaign IL
Hong Robert M.D. 2010-2012 Farmington Hills MI
Wise Sean M.D. 2011-2013 Carlsbad, CA
Kircher Matthew M.D. 2011-2013 Maywood, IL
Benscoter Brent M.D. 2012-2014 Sacramento, CA
Sdrulla Dan M.D. 2012-2014 Greenwood Village, CO
Slattery Eric M.D. 2013-2015 Salt Lake City, Utah
Stucken Emily M.D. 2013-2015 Ann Arbor MI
McNulty, Beth M.D. 2014-2016 Lexington, Kentucky
Metrailer, Aaron M.D. 2014-2016 Little Rock, Arkansas
Rodgers Brian M.D. 2015-2017 Dallas, Texas
Wilkerson Brent M.D. 2015-2017 San Antonio, Texas
Jackson, Neal M.D. 2016- 2018 New Orleans, LA
Schutt, Chris M.D. 2016- 2018 Farmington Hills, MI
Walker, David M.D. 2017- 2019 Little Rock, AR
Walsh, Erika M.D. 2017- 2019 Birmingham, AL
Lin, Kenny M.D. 2018-2020 Houston, TX
Bojrab, Dennis M.D. 2018-2020 Farmington Hills, MI
Tu, Nathan M.D. 2019-2021 Loudonville, NY
Sioshansi, Pedrom M.D. 2019-2021 Winston-Salem, NC
Doerfer, Karl M.D. 2020-2022
Luryi, Alex M.D. 2020-2022
Choi, Jonathan M.D. 2021-2023 Current
Casale, Garrett M.D. 2021-2023 Current
Lucas, Jacob M.D. 2022-2024 Current
Fan, Caleb M.D. 2022-2024 Current