Duke University Hospital Program

Program Identity & Fit

Duke's Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery program is a tertiary/quaternary academic training environment built around a mandatory research infrastructure, offering two distinct match pathways: a five-year clinical track with a four-month protected research block, and an NIH R25 surgeon-scientist track for candidates committed to a research-intensive career. Clinical training spans Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Davis Ambulatory Surgical Center, and the VA, giving residents graduated exposure across head and neck oncology, otology/neurotology, facial plastics, rhinology, laryngology, and pediatric otolaryngology through a team-based rotation structure. Fellowship placement is the norm rather than the exception—recent graduates have matched into head and neck oncology, skull base, facial plastics, laryngology, and pediatric fellowships at institutions like MD Anderson, Emory, and UAB—with several graduates returning to academic practice, including at Duke itself. The program explicitly states it selects for physician leaders demonstrating initiative, integrity, self-discipline, compassion, and accountability, reflecting a culture oriented toward scholarly rigor (formal Scholarly Culture and Accountability Plan) and leadership development alongside clinical excellence.