Published: March 30, 2017

Candidate Statements | Director at Large: Academic | Brent A. Senior, MD

A colleague once told me what he wanted carved into his tombstone: “If it hadn’t been this, it would have been something else!” I am often reminded of this when confronted with the onslaught of change occurring in medicine.


Q: How would you strengthen our grassroots activities to protect our specialty from legislation that would undermine our mission? What life lessons in your career would you use to identify and strengthen portions of our strategic plan to improve our membership’s future?

SeniorBrent A. Senior, MD

A colleague once told me what he wanted carved into his tombstone: “If it hadn’t been this, it would have been something else!” I am often reminded of this when confronted with the onslaught of change occurring in medicine. In the past, it was HMOs and DRGs while now it is MIPS and MACRA. We live in a constantly changing tsunami of acronyms, each threatening to end our practices as we know them.

In this environment, the AAO-HNS is uniquely poised to lead all otolaryngologists in the strategic areas of advocacy, quality, and education. ENT is a fragmented discipline with strong subspecialty societies. But the AAO-HNS, through its large membership, active grassroots advocacy, and leading edge educational offerings, offers true VALUE for all otolaryngologists, all subspecialties, all stages of career. A vigorous online presence with ENTConnect and AcademyU® and quality initiatives like Reg-entSM, further add to this value. So whether you are an otologist in Orlando or a generalist in Tulsa or a rhinologist in Chapel Hill, the AAO-HNS provides unparalleled, meaningful value for you. And the key for the AAO-HNS as it seeks to navigate the storms of change confronting us all is an active, engaged membership that understands this value.

I have been honored to serve our Academy in many ways that have enhanced this value, including as chair of Rhinology Allergy Education providing me with extensive knowledge of the outstanding educational products produced. Outside the AAO-HNS, I have served as president of the American Rhinologic Society, yielding executive leadership experience and “insider knowledge.” It is this background and experience that I look forward to applying to my term on the BOD.

I am humbled by this opportunity and thank you for it. I look forward to working for all of otolaryngology to calm the acronym storm!


More from April 2017 - Vol. 36, No. 3