JEFFERSON RHINOLOGY AND SKULL BASE FELLOWSHIP

INSTITUTION & ADDRESS

Jefferson University Medical College
925 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

SF MATCH PROGRAM ID#

4565

FELLOWSHIP DIRECTOR

Marc R. Rosen, MD; Gurston Nyquist, MD

FELLOWSHIP CO-DIRECTORS

David Kennedy, MD
Mindy Rabinowitz, MD
Elina Toskala, MD, PhD, MBA

DEPARTMENTAL MISSION STATEMENT

It is the goal of the Department of Otolaryngology to provide our patients with the highest level of medical care and to serve as a national role model in the field of Otolaryngology. To that end we believe the pursuit of high-quality scientific research by all department faculty is critical. We are dedicated to training residents and fellows to disseminate the best possible otolarygological care to our community. Our goal is to produce well-rounded rhinologists who will go on to successful careers in rhinology and skull base surgery.

OVERVIEW OF FELLOWSHIP

The Rhinology/Skullbase fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University is a one-year fellowship designed to offer advanced training in complicated sinus, orbital and skull base disease. Fellows will receive surgical training in endoscopic skull base surgery (transsphenoidal and extended approaches), revision sinus surgery, orbital surgery (including orbital decompression and DCR), balloon sinuplasty and complex frontal sinus surgery. This also includes experience in allergy training.

FELLOWSHIP DESCRIPTION

Clinical Rotations:

Fellows will operate 3-4 days a week, see patients in the office one day a week, and have one day reserved for academic pursuits. Fellows operate directly under the supervision of Drs. Rosen, Nyquist, Rabinowitz, and Toskala along with associated faculty for appropriate cases.

Research Responsibilities:

Fellows are provided with one day each week for protected academic time in which to perform research, prepare manuscripts and apply for grants. Fellows will be expected to participate in research and manuscript preparation. The fellow will work in concert with a team of research fellows and research nurse coordinator to prepare and collect data. Our close collaboration with the Monell Chemosensory Center provides opportunities for research in the area of olfaction. In addition, the fellow will lead investigations in the study of sinusitis and clinical and surgical outcomes in the field of skull base surgery. Fellows will be expected to participate in regional and national meetings with full funding from the department.

Diversity of Cases:

The diverse range of sinus and skull base diseases varies from benign to malignant and encompasses a wide range of pathologies. Jefferson offers a high-volume tertiary clinical experience at both Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience. The number of skull base cases performed by the endoscopic skull base team averages around 180/yr and includes sinonasal malignancy, anterior skull base lesions, sellar and para-sellar surgery, and extended cases along the clivus and infra-temporal fossa. There is a robust number of inflammatory sinus surgeries to choose from with over 800 cases performed annually by faculty at Jefferson. We also have an active orbital practice in conjunction with the Wills Eye Institute performing both open and endoscopic orbital procedures with our oculoplastic surgery colleagues.

2021-2022 Fellow Case Log

Call Schedule:

The fellow will be expected to take approximately 5 weeks of attending call per year.

Additional Information:

Anatomy Lab: The fellow will have 24-hour access to our newly renovated, state of the art skull base anatomy lab for dissection. This lab is equipped with an image guided system as well as a complete complement of endoscopic instruments. Cadavers are continuously available.

Residency Program: Jefferson has an active residency program with 5 residents per year. The fellow will be expected to mentor the residents, be involved in their didactic sessions, and perform clinical teaching.

Faculty Profile: Dr. Marc Rosen is the Clinical Vice Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology. Dr. Rosen and Dr. James J. Evans serve as Co-Directors of the Jefferson Center for Minimally Invasive Cranial Base Surgery and Endoscopic Neurosurgery. Dr. Rosen’s scope of practice includes the management of complex tumors of the sinus and skull base using minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Rosen also has extensive experience with complicated and revision endoscopic frontal sinus surgery as well as cranial base repair.

Dr. Nyquist is the Division Chief of Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery and Professor in Otolaryngology and Neurological Surgery. He completed a Rhinology fellowship at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Nyquist has a tertiary care rhinology and skull base practice that includes academic interests in advanced approaches to the skull base, CSF leak closure techniques, the use of biologics, allergy, and sinonasal malignancy. He is the Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Otolaryngology and serves on multiple committees for the AAO, ARS, and NASBS.

Dr. Rabinowitz is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and Neurological surgery. She completed her fellowship training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. She focuses on advanced rhinology, skull base and orbital disease. Her research focuses on endoscopic skull base surgery outcomes, endoscopic orbital surgery and basic sciences translational work. She is the director of the Otolaryngology research fellowship and director of clinical operations for the Department of Otolaryngology. She has authored over 60 research publications, sits on multiple national committees and is an invited guest speaker locally, nationally and internationally.

Elina M. Toskala, MD, PhD, MBA is a nationally and internationally recognized researcher and teacher. She currently works as Professor, Vice Chair and Director of Allergy for the department. She is a current member of Board of Directors and immediate past chair of Women in Rhinology section in American Rhinologic Society as well as Treasurer of International Society of Allergy and Inflammation of the Nose (ISIAN). She serves in several committees in both ARS and AAOA. She has held academic appointments internationally as well as within the US and has been lecturing world-wide at CME courses and meetings for the last 25 years. Her main area of research has been focusing on chronic rhinosinusitis pathophysiology, genetics and endotyping with over 150 articles and book chapters. She is Associate editor of Frontiers in Allergy and Editorial Board Member of IFAR.

David W. Kennedy, M.D., is best known for his pioneering work in endoscopic sinus surgery, minimally invasive surgery, and his research into the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis and its medical management. He has served as Departmental Chair, Vice Dean, and Senior Vice President at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, and is currently a Professor at Thomas Jefferson University. A Past President of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Rhinologic Society, and the International Rhinologic Society, he helped to establish the subspecialty of rhinology, and was recognized as one of the most influential surgeons of the 20th Century by the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Kennedy has been elected to National Academy of Medicine for his contributions to the medical field. He received the Practitioner of the Year award in 2010. He has published approximately 250 articles and chapters.

Research Fellow Position

We offer 1year research fellow position for medical students. Research is primarily clinical, but basic science opportunities are available for interested candidates. Fellows will work closely with our multi-disciplinary research arms with otolaryngology, neurosurgery and ophthalmology. Goals of research fellows include conducting clinical research projects with compilation of data in a relatively independent fashion, manuscript preparation and publication as well as presentation at national and international meetings. Fellows will also have the opportunity to assist in resident and medical student education and clinical shadowing. Applicants should send inquiries and their CV to Mindy Rabinowitz, MD at [email protected].

CURRENT AND PAST FELLOWS

• Benjamin Bitner, M.D.,Current Fellow
• Srihari Daggumati, M.D., Advocare Health, NJ
• Peter Benedict, M.D., Current Fellow
• Douglas Farqunar, M.D., Piedmont Healthcare, GA
• Sean Parcel, D.O., Lehigh Valley, PA
• Blair Barton, M.D., Ochsner Medical Center, LA
• Tawfiq Khoury, M.D., Kaiser Permanente, VA
• Judd Fastenberg M.D., Hofstra/Northwell School of Medicine, NY
• Ian Koszewski M.D. University of Wisconsin, WI
• Sanjeet Rangarajan M.D., University of Tennessee, TN
• Mindy Rabinowitz M.D., Thomas Jefferson University, PA
• Alexander Farag M.D., The Ohio State University, OH
• Jaymarc Iloreta M.D., Mount Sinai, NY
• Mark Friedel M.D., Private Practice, NJ
• David Beahm M.D., University of Kansas, KS

Research Fellows

• 2015-2016: Kurren Gill, MD
• 2016-2017: Christopher Shumrick, MD
• 2018-present Chandala Chitguppi, MD
• 2018-2019: Jena Patel, MD and Swar Vimawala, MD
• 2019-2020: Prachi Patel and Kira Murphy, MD
• 2020-present: Glen D’Souza, MD
• 2020-2021: Teddy Klum and Tory McKnight
• 2021 – 2022: Maria Armache, Glen D’Souza, Samiat Awosanya
• 2022 – 2023: Emily Garvey, Bita Naimi, Maria Armache, Glen D’Souza
• 2023 – 2024: Shreya Mandloi and Samuel Shing

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPOINTMENT

Applicants must:

1. be enrolled in or have completed an approved North American OHNS residency,
2. be BE/BC
3. able to obtain a Pennsylvania medical license
4. review ARS fellowship directory and become a member
5. apply through the ARS - SF match system - submitted through www.sfmatch.org.
6. be available for possible on-site interviews in the spring months of match cycle

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Applications are processed through the SF match, and should be submitted through www.sfmatch.org. Interviews will be conducted in winter-spring in accordance with match guidelines.

CONTACT INFORMATION