As a member of the Academy, you have a dedicated partner accompanying you each step of your journey.
The path to becoming an otolaryngologist is one of continuous learning, growth, and collaboration. As a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), you have a dedicated partner to support you at every stage of your career—whether you're a curious medical student just discovering the field or a seasoned physician building on your achievements. Read on to learn how the Academy supports its members during each stage of their careers and how you can get involved, no matter where you are on your journey.
Medical School – The Foundation
For most otolaryngologists, the journey begins in the classrooms and clinical rotations of medical school, where an early interest in the care of the ear, nose, and throat is born. It is often during these foundational years that students find themselves captivated by the specialty.
The Academy understands how critical these early years are and offers an array of resources designed to guide medical students on this journey, including grants for medical students to attend the Annual Meeting, and educational materials that delve into the nuances of the specialty.
For those considering the specialty, mENTor, the AAO-HNS mentorship program, connects medical students to otolaryngologists across the country who are eager to share their guidance. If you are a medical student enrolled in an accredited medical school and a current member of the Academy, you are eligible to apply.
Although the rising generation of otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons reflects greater diversity than in decades past, considerable action is still needed to increase the diversity of the future workforce to better reflect the population as a whole. To support students from diverse backgrounds considering the specialty, Academy members have established successful pipeline programs at their institutions. If you are interested in proposing a similar program at your institution, the Academy can help.
Other Academy programs, such as the URM Away Rotation Grant, also provide support for medical students from underrepresented backgrounds to experience the specialty. The 2024 application cycle has closed but keep an eye on the Academy’s website for information about the 2025 grant cycle.
“[The URM Away Rotation Grant] program has widened my prospects for residency and my future career. It has given me the gift of exposure and broadened my horizons. I look forward to paying this forward by contributing to, not only this award but through the Academy’s many programs and outreach efforts in the future.”
For those who match into otolaryngology, residency marks the beginning of your intensive training. This stage is about honing surgical skills, mastering diagnostic techniques, and becoming adept at managing complex ENT-related conditions. Residency is where future surgeons grow, not only in skill but in confidence.
The Academy offers invaluable support during these rigorous years. The Otolaryngology Core Curriculum, developed in close collaboration with the otolaryngology academic community, offers residents in enrolled programs the full breadth and depth of the specialty using state-of-the-art pedagogical approaches.
Resident members and fellows-in-training have access to dedicated networking events and forums throughout the year to connect with peers and mentors via the Section for Residents and Fellows-in-training (SRF). All residents and fellows-in-training who are members of the Academy are automatically members of the SRF.
If you are a resident or fellow-in-training interested in attending the next Annual Meeting, consider applying for $500 of the nearly $40,000 in travel grants awarded to residents each year. The application cycle for grants will open again in early 2025.
Residency can also be the perfect time to start building your leadership skills. There are many ways to get involved, even as a busy junior resident, from running for an office on the SRF Governing Council, as a resident representative or resident delegate.
“I began my journey in the Academy as a resident, where I was elected to the SRF Governing Council as a PGY-3 resident. I enjoyed being part of a community that served as the voice for my cohort to affect positive change in the Academy, both for my colleagues and for my patients.”
– Nikhila P. Raol, MD, MPH
Residents are also eligible to apply to become members of the over 50 AAO-HNS Committees and can be appointed as voting members. Committee service allows you to start building your network, develop your leadership skills, learn how the Academy works, and much more. The 2025–2026 committee applications cycle opens November 1.
The Academy helps ensure that no resident or fellow-in-training feels isolated or unsupported during this intensive stage of the journey.
Early Career – Establishing Yourself
After residency or fellowship training, the transition into independent practice is a major step. Early-career otolaryngologists face the dual challenges of navigating tricky cases with greater independence while continuing their education to stay on top of the latest advances in the field. Whether you join an academic institution, private practice, or a hospital setting, this stage is about carving out your niche.
“…Shortly after starting as a private practice generalist, I had been totally overwhelmed with learning billing, how to stay on time in the clinic, and how to remember my dictation IDs for the surgery centers. I was also shocked by how much I missed seeing patients as a team versus being the only doctor in my clinic. The [Academy’s] Annual Meeting was a welcome break where I could catch up with old friends and feel almost like a student again—who knew I’d miss that!”
Find yourself stumped by a tricky clinical conundrum? Don’t forget about ENT Connect, the Academy’s private network for members! The collective experience of your community is only ever a few keystrokes away.
Fortunately, the Academy has a dedicated Section for those stepping out on their own—the Young Physicians Section (YPS). The YPS comprises all members of the Academy who are under 40 years of age or within the first eight years of professional practice after residency and/or fellowship training.
In addition to the many opportunities provided by the YPS, early-career members can deepen their engagement with the specialty and community by applying to join an AAO-HNS Committee or running for office. Early-career physicians can also give back to the next generation of students by serving as a mentor through the mENTor program.
Currently, the program needs additional mentors so that our over 1,000 eager medical students can take advantage of this important opportunity. If you are a resident or an early-career or established physician willing to act as a mentor, contact mentor@entnet.org for more information.
“As otolaryngologists, we have all benefited from mentorship. Mentors help us become the best version of ourselves by sharing experiences, wisdom, advice, and encouragement.”
The Academy offers a full suite of support for early-career otolaryngologists from career fairs to continuing medical education (CME) opportunities that help early practitioners not only survive but thrive in their new roles.
Mid-Career – Becoming a Leader
As you progress into mid-career, the focus shifts from learning to teaching and guiding others. Many otolaryngologists find themselves in leadership roles, whether as department heads or advocates for healthcare policy. This is a key time to give back through research, advocacy, and supporting the next generation.
Opportunities to guide the future of the specialty as a practicing physician are virtually endless—from formal leadership roles within the Academy to participating in Position Statement development or as a member of a Clinical Practice Guideline or Expert Consensus Statement development panel. Those involved in research are also eligible for many grant opportunities offered by the Academy.
If you are a mid-career physician looking for high-impact ways to improve patient care, consider becoming involved in one of the Academy’s many paths to advocating for the specialty, including joining the Board of Governors.
“No one ever will tell you in residency how important it is to advocate, or the need for you to fight to be able to care for your patients. In a developed country like the United States, you would think that there would be no need to explain to legislators how important it is for patients to be able to obtain medication and undergo procedures without having to wade through mountains of red tape...it is imperative for all physicians to fight for and advocate for their patients.”
– Yolanda Troublefield, MD, JD, Secretary of the AAO-HNS Board of Governors (BOG),in the 2024 article “State Advocacy in Action.”
One of the many benefits to Academy members at all levels is the incredible volume of resources—from live panels to webinars to podcasts to patient care guidelines—but none of these can be produced without the efforts of dedicated members.
As an experienced physician, you can give back by volunteering as a speaker or panelist for any area of your expertise that would benefit other members. If you are interested in opportunities to volunteer, contactmembership@entnet.org.
Mid-career physicians have endless ways to grow and contribute through leadership roles, research, advocacy efforts, and volunteering within the Academy.
Late Career and Retirement – Reflection and Legacy
As otolaryngologists approach the later stages of their careers, they begin reflecting on their impact and legacy. Many physicians choose to transition away from full-time clinical work to teaching, mentorship, research, or writing.
“Coming toward the end of my day-to-day career in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, I began to explore the next phase of my life. I’m not a big fan of the term “retirement” since it connotes an ending of one’s life’s work providing the best care for our patients, which is not my plan at all.”
Many late-career physicians choose to volunteer some of their time—whether on international trips to support otolaryngology care worldwide or closer to home by visiting Capitol Hill to advocate for the specialty. Others choose to donate funds to the future of the specialty via ENT PAC (the political action committee of the AAO-HNS) or to one of the Academy’s many grant and funding opportunities, such as the newly established Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund to benefit the continuing education needs of otolaryngologists practicing in low-income/low-resource countries.
Even in retirement, many otolaryngologists remain deeply connected to the field. The Academy offers numerous ways to stay engaged as well as awards to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the specialty through their service and leadership.
Do you know someone who has made their mark on the specialty by going above and beyond? Be sure to nominate them for anhonorary awardduring the next call.
The career journey of an Academy member is rich with opportunity, growth, and fulfillment. From the first day of medical school to retirement, the Academy is there every step of the way—offering resources, events, and, most importantly, a community of like-minded professionals committed to advancing the field of otolaryngology for patients. No matter where you are on your career path, the Academy ensures that you will never walk it alone.
