Current and Temporal Trends in Otolaryngology Department Chair Appointment

This cross-sectional study aims to characterize current otolaryngology-head and neck surgery department chairs and division chiefs and evaluate whether there have been significant changes in the occupants of these positions over time.

All permanent department chairs or division chiefs at allopathic ACGME-accredited otolaryngology residency programs (n = 109) were identified and academic and professional information were collected using publicly available websites.

After excluding 12 department chairs due to interim status, 97 chairs and chiefs (81 chairs and 16 chiefs) were included with mean and median current term length of 9 ± 8 and 7 ± 5 years, respectively (range = 0-35 years). The most commonly completed fellowship in the group was head and neck oncologic surgery (42%). Seventy-seven percent of chairs previously held a faculty position within their institution. Seventy-one percent did not complete residency or fellowship training at their current institution. The average time between completing training and being appointed chair was 15.5 ± 7.7 years. Those appointed within the last 6 years (n = 47) had more years of experience than those appointed previously (18.0 ± 7.2 vs. 13.1 ± 7.4 years, p = 0.002). The number of female chairs remains low (n = 9), and despite an increasing number of women being appointed in recent years, the most recent group of appointees did not demonstrate a significant increase in female appointment (4% vs. 15%, p = 0.065).

A very large proportion of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery department chairs are internally recruited from their home institution. Most chairs are male, and head and neck oncologic surgery is the most common subspecialty.

NA Laryngoscope, 133:1356-1360, 2023.