A research training program in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is designed to prepare residents and medical students at the Texas Medical Center in Houston for a career as academic Otolaryngologists and/or researchers. The training faculty includes nine scientists at the Baylor College of Medicine and seven at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The Baylor College of Medicine faculty consists of 5 members of the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Sciences and 4 faculty members from other departments. All 9 Baylor College of Medicine faculty have active research programs in hearing and balance, ranging from molecular biophysics to vestibular rehabilitation. The MD Anderson Cancer Center faculty consists of 3 members of the Department of Head and Neck Surgery and 4 members in other departments; all 7 laboratories are involved in basic and/or translational investigations of neoplastic diseases. Oversight of the training program is provided by an advisory committee consisting of the 2 department chairs and the otolaryngology residency director at the Baylor College of Medicine. The training program has 2 tracks. The first is for otolaryngology residents. One (1) resident in each incoming class will receive 2 contiguous years of research training as part of an integrated 7-year experience that will prepare him/her to balance both clinical and research activities. The second track is for medical students interested in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and offers either a short-term (2-month) or a 1-year research opportunity in any of the laboratories in the training program. In addition to their laboratory experiences, the training includes coursework relevant to the specific field of investigation, research ethics, and responsible conduct of research on human subjects, as well as grantsmanship; all of which are designed to ensure the production of outstanding researchers.
