Published: August 31, 2015

Leadership change in Foundation education

Beginning October 1, 2015, Richard V. Smith, MD, will become the new AAO-HNS Foundation education coordinator; assuming the position as Sonya Malekzadeh, MD, ends her four-year term.


Sonya Malekzadeh, MDSonya Malekzadeh, MD

Beginning October 1, 2015, Richard V. Smith, MD, will become the new AAO-HNS Foundation education coordinator; assuming the position as Sonya Malekzadeh, MD, ends her four-year term.

Dr. Malekzadeh has provided thoughtful and strong leadership as the education coordinator over the last four years. Through her hard work Foundation professional development has evolved into a Member-focused, innovative, and high quality offering for Members.

Her accomplishments include, but are certainly not limited to:

  • Completion of the member-wide Education Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
  • Launch of the new AcademyU® Learning Platform
  • Publication of the Otolaryngology Lifelong Learning Manual
  • Improved access to certification and recertification resources including the AcademyQ® app, Clinical Fundamental live and online courses, and Annual Meeting review courses
  • Attaining ACCME Accreditation with Commendation
  • Successful partnerships with ASPO, SPAO, AAPA (Physician Assistants), AHNS, and ABOto
Richard V. Smith, MDRichard V. Smith, MD

Dr. Smith has been involved with the Academy and Foundation since his residency, including leading the Section of Residents and Fellows, the Board of Governors, and the Academy Financial Subcommittee. His involvement with Education has centered on his work with the Head and Neck Surgery Education Committee (HNSEC) as both a member and as a chair. As chair, he has also served on the Education Steering Committee for the last three years. With HNSEC he has produced Home Study Course sections, online lectures, and a variety of instruction courses and Miniseminars at the Annual Meeting & OTO EXPOSM.

Dr. Smith has received both the Honor Award and the Distinguished Service Award for his dedication and commitment to the Academy and Foundation.

His vision for Foundation professional development is to support and guide the development and delivery of quality education materials to the membership through the education efforts of the Foundation; address rapidly advancing technology within education; and ensure the Foundation has this technology in order to maintain its preeminence in the profession.

The key areas he plans to address during his tenure are:

  • Maximize the functionality of the new AcademyU® Learning Platform
  • Provide customized education opportunities to Members
  • Increase collaboration within the specialty
  • Move education activities to an electronic delivery format
  • Continue with the needs assessment and gap analysis for new education activities

The Foundation thanks both Drs. Malekzadeh and Smith for their tireless efforts and devotion to education and ongoing support of staff and volunteers who have worked with them.

 


More from September 2015 - Vol. 34 No. 08

Products from the new AcademyU® Learning Platform
Foundation copublishes two books with Thieme As part of an ongoing agreement with Thieme Publishers, the Foundation has just added two more titles to its book and eBook collection. The first book, Otolaryngology Lifelong Learning Manual (OLLM), is an update to the Maintenance Manual for Lifelong Learning. Through the hard work of the eight education committees, under the leadership of Education Coordinator Sonya Malekzadeh, MD, this will become a valuable resource for all otolaryngology clinicians. OLLM serves as a great resident resource and certification study guide. Practicing physicians can use it for a refresher on a topic and for recertification through MOC. Nonphysician clinicians will also benefit from the comprehensive scope of the book. The second book, Geriatric Otolaryngology, was edited by Robert T. Sataloff, MD, Michael M. Johns III, MD, and Karen Kost, MD. This book is much more than a revision to the previous book of the same title. It is a comprehensive and timely discussion of the otolaryngology concerns of the elderly population. Both books are available in print and eBook formats and can be ordered through the Thieme website at www.Thieme.com. You can search by specialty or title. The AAO-HNS Foundation is proud to have worked with Thieme on these two essential otolaryngology publications and looks forward to continuing its copublishing partnership. AcademyQ® CME: otolaryngology knowledge self-assessment tool AcademyQ® CME offers learners the opportunity to hone their knowledge skills through a series of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery-specific self-assessment questions. Derived from the 800 knowledge assessment questions available in the AcademyQ® app for Apple and Android, this activity provides the opportunity to enhance knowledge of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery with hundreds of study questions to test recall, interpretation, and problem-solving skills while earning CME credit. Drawing on the same questions released on the Academy® app in 2012 and 2014, nine modules contain 50 questions specific to each specialty. The physician learner will read and analyze otolaryngology-specific questions and rationales developed by otolaryngology experts. Included in each module is thorough feedback for each question, additional reading references, and appropriate images and videos to enhance the learning experience. Pediatric Otolaryngology eLectures Pediatric Otolaryngology eLectures, coproduced by the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) and AAO-HNSF, offer learners education opportunities designed to address pressing patient care concerns facing pediatric and general otolaryngologists. The webinars in this series are: Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis Diagnosis and Management of Vascular Malformations Update on Allergic Rhinitis—A Burdensome Disease Down Syndrome: Otolaryngologic Manifestations Evaluation and Management of Sialorrhea in Children Hearing Tests and Hearing Aids: More Interesting Than You Thought Complications of Acute Rhinosinusitis in Children Otitis Media Update Assessment and Management of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction Evaluation of Pediatric Sensorineural Hearing Loss Unilateral Hearing Loss In Children Caustic Ingestion Management of Pediatric Vocal Fold Immobility Head and Neck Masses in the Pediatric Population Quality and Safety in Surgery: How to Become a Better Surgeon Choking and Aspiration in Children: Evaluation and Management Pediatric Sleep Medicine 2014: A Roundtable Discussion Eustachian Tube and Evolution Social Media—A Blessing or a Curse for the Otolaryngologist Genetics and Pediatric Otolaryngology These archived recordings are be available for AMA PRA Category 1™ credit. ENT for the PA-C eLecture Series The annual ENT for the PA-C Conference is jointly presented by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation and the Society of Physician Assistants in Otorhinolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery. The primary audience for the conference is nonphysician clinicians, especially physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who specialize in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. This eLecture Series, recorded at the 2015 ENT for the PA-C Annual Conference, includes the following presentations: Healthcare Reform Audiogram Interpretation: 10-minute Dizziness Evaluation Evaluation and Management of Facial Nerve Paralysis Everything You Ever (and Never) Need to Know About Salivary Glands Differential Diagnosis and Management of Conductive Hearing Loss Non-otologic Sources of Otalgia Diagnosis and Treatment of Anaphylaxis Evaluation and Management of Pediatric Neck Masses OSA: Improving Treatment Outcomes Vocal Fold Paralysis Diagnosis and Treatment Assisting in ENT Procedures These archived recordings will be available for AAPA CME credit. Visit www.academyU.org for these new activities along with the entire catalog of education opportunities offered by the AAO-HNS Foundation.