University of Alabama at Birmingham

Program Director:  Anthony Morlandt, MD, DDS
Contact:  Ericka Bradberry-Fuller, elbradbe@uab.edu

Number of Positions Available Each Year :  1
Required Application Materials

1. Curriculum Vitae

2. Statement of Intent – i.e., Why do you wish to pursue advanced training in head and neck oncology and microvascular reconstructive surgery?

3. Two letters of reference, one of which is from residency chairman or program director

4. Interview with fellowship faculty

Eligibility Requirements

1. Dental degree and/or medical degree from accredited institutions

2. Completion of a residency program in oral and maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology, or plastic and reconstructive surgery in the United States or Canada

3. One year of general surgery, with an experience in critical care medicine

4. Eligible to obtain a medical or dental license in the state of Alabama

Goals and Objectives:

Clinical:

a.    The fellow will work under the direction of two head and neck oncology-trained faculty in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Division of Oral Oncology: Dr. Anthony Morlandt and Dr. Yedeh Ying.  In clinic, the fellow will be expected to participate in evaluation, workup, diagnosis, and classification of traumatic, ablative, and congenital defects of the head and neck.  Treatment planning and patient presentation skills will be emphasized.  The fellow will also be involved in virtual surgical planning (VSP) for complex reconstruction of the craniomaxillofacial skeleton.

b.    The fellow will operate on all head and neck ablative and microvascular reconstructive cases performed by the OMFS head and neck faculty.  Additional experience with faculty in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology and Division of Plastic Surgery are occasionally available, with the principal goal to expose the fellow to a wider array of approaches and surgical principles.  The fellow also has the opportunity to learn prosthodontic principles under the direction of Dr. Iradj Sooudi, maxillofacial prosthodontist within the Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, who attends the OMFS multi-disciplinary clinic one half-day per week.

c.    The fellow is responsible for presenting all patients at the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Tumor Board and the Cutaneous Multidisciplinary Tumor Board.

d.    The fellow will gain experience in postoperative management of patients by working with the postgraduate residents in the UAB Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency program.

e.    To maximize learning opportunities and optimize exposure, the fellow will participate in additional after-hours and weekend operative experience and airway management on an as-needed basis.

f.     Laboratory skills in microvascular techniques will be highlighted throughout the program; however, the fellow will be given the opportunity to attend a microsurgical skills training course early in the program.

Academic:  The fellow will be engaged in active learning outside the clinical setting.  The primary didactic goal is for the fellow to build a foundational library of classic and contemporary literature in oncologic and reconstructive surgery.  At the direction of the attending faculty, key articles in head and neck surgery will be reviewed to promote understanding of core concepts.  The fellow will demonstrate competency in teaching residents and students topics related to head and neck microsurgery through lectures and teaching rounds.  Graduates of the program are encouraged to maintain an active role in teaching, ideally as a full-time academic surgeon, and to demonstrate an interest and commitment to training future head and neck surgeons.

Research: The fellow will be expected to prepare at least two manuscripts suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed publication, and will be encouraged to present data at a national or international society meeting.

Program Description:  The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers a 24 month experience in major head and neck ablative and microvascular reconstructive surgery.  The fellow will be involved in all aspects of patient care: medical decision-making, treatment planning, intraoperative, and perioperative management of patients undergoing maxillofacial/head and neck surgery, including microvascular and microneurosurgery.  The primary clinical focus of the program is in the ablation and reconstruction of malignant tumors head and neck, with special attention to the oral cavity, salivary glands, and maxillofacial complex.  The program offers a rich experience in reconstruction of the scalp and calvarium, skull base, midface and orbits, temporal bone defects, oromandibular complex, oral cavity and oropharynx, and hypopharynx/cervical esophagus.  Current fellows also gain experience in adjunctive procedures including facial reanimation, secondary/esthetic flap recontouring, and dental implant rehabilitation of the reconstructed maxillofacial skeleton.  The fellow works primarily out of University Hospital, UAB Highlands Hospital, and The Kirklin Clinic, however will be expected to provide occasional OMFS call responsibilities across the UAB system.