Resident case volume and autonomy. Residents in our program become proficient at advanced surgical techniques early in training. Junior residents work directly with attendings and are not often double scrubbing on cases with senior residents. Senior residents can refine their skills to become highly proficient, confident surgeons prepared to enter practice or a competitive fellowship. Our most recent graduates’ case volumes in the key indicators identified by the ACGME were above the national average in every category. Graduates of our program enter competitive fellowships and practice settings with a strong clinical foundation.
Protected didactic time. One Friday of each month is reserved for didactics, and residents have a full day of protected time from clinical duties. All faculty and residents attend the morning sessions, which include morbidity and mortality conference, grand rounds, a faculty lecture, and journal club. The day continues with resident level didactics in the afternoon. Each academic day focuses on a subspecialty as part of a structured two-year curriculum. The program provides residents with a reading list for each topic and supplemental reading for upper level residents. There is an array of other educational activities during other parts of the week. Our residents are well-prepared to pass their certification exams.
RUSH University Medical Center and the Otorhinolaryngology Department are continuing to grow. RUSH opened its new hospital tower in 2012 and plans to build a new nine-story ambulatory care building to open in the near future. RUSH has expanded the otolaryngology service at RUSH Oak Park Hospital and opened a new outpatient care location in River North. Most recently, two new ambulatory care locations opened in Oak Brook and the South Loop.
Chicago is a great place to live and train. Chicago is a dynamic city with world-class cultural offerings, heart-breaking/championship-winning professional sports teams, a beautiful lakefront, and amazing food. There is always a lot to do--even in winter. You can go to a Second City improv performance, see Grant Wood’s American Gothic at the Art Institute, visit a local brewery, catch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, or bike along the lakefront. RUSH is located in the Illinois Medical District, adjacent to the vibrant West-Loop neighborhood. RUSH residents live nearby and in other neighborhoods around the city. The hospital is located directly off the freeway, and parking is free for residents. See what Chicago has to offer.
The RUSH Otolaryngology Residency is growing and improving resident education. The program grew to two residents per year beginning with the 2018 intern class. We reached a full complement of ten residents in 2022. In the last few years we improved resident education by revamping the didactic curriculum and incorporating simulation-based training on common and emergent otolaryngology patient scenarios. We have also added annual resident retreats focused on wellness and career development and provided global health travel opportunities to residents.
Specialized Training Tracks. In 2018-19 we added two specialized training tracks. In the Research Track residents complete their residency in five years while getting a Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR). In the Global Health Track, residents incorporate a focus on global health and the care of medically underserved people into their training. In 2019-20, a new PSQI training track was added to the program. In the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Track, residents will work alongside institutional patient safety leaders to learn hands-on skills in quality and safety, while evaluating processes and transitions of care. In 2020-21, a new leadership track was added that allows qualified senior residents to acquire a Master of Science in Health Systems Management. All of these tracks are integrated with no extension or interruption of training.