Elaine Bigelow, M.D.

Middletown, CT
University of Maryland School of Medicine 

Please highlight a strength of your training: The department offers outstanding mentorship and a great depth of training within every subspecialty of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.

Area of subspecialty focus: Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

What are your career goals? I want to be an academic facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon working as part of a collaborative team, prioritizing quality patient care and mentoring trainees.

What accomplishment in residency are you most proud of?  Being selected as last year’s recipient of the Duane Sewell Resident Award for Professionalism and Humanitarianism was an honor and a highlight of my training.

What leadership experience did you have in residency? In 2019, I was elected to serve as Vice Chair of the Johns Hopkins House Staff Council, a position in which I advocated for the interests of more than 900 resident and fellow physicians. For the 2021-2022 academic year, I have served as our department’s Administrative Chief Resident. 

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? Drs. Carole Fakhry, Marietta Tan, Kofi Boahene, Shaun Desai, and Zandy Hillel have all been extremely impactful mentors for me. In turn, I have been intentional in mentoring co-residents and medical students over the last 6 years, relationships I plan to continue.

What is next after graduation? As a graduating resident from our T32 research track, I’ll be spending my 7th and final year working within the Johns Hopkins otolaryngology department, and specifically within the division of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

 A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? Department dinners and retreats - building relationships and improving our residency program one gourmet meal at a time!

Ruth Davis, M.D.

Madison, WI
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University

Please highlight a strength of your training: At Hopkins I have had the opportunity to train with established and rising leaders in every field. Working with role models who balance clinical excellence with cutting edge research has been invaluable as I work towards the same goal.

Area of subspecialty focus: Laryngology.

What are your career goals? I am pursuing a career as a surgeon-scientist, working to advance our understanding of wound healing in the larynx to improve treatment of scar-related voice and airway disorders for my patients.

What accomplishment in residency are you most proud of? I am most proud of winning the Frank L. Coulson, Jr. Award for Clinical Excellence, because although I am passionate about research, taking excellent and compassionate care of patients is my top priority.

What leadership experience did you have in residency? It has been a joy to mentor and teach junior residents, working to bring out their best as their sills and confidence develop over the years.

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? I am thankful for the teaching and guidance of all the faculty in our department, but am particularly grateful for the mentorship of Drs. Alexander Hillel and Lee Akst.

What is next after graduation? I will begin a Laryngology fellowship at the Vanderbilt Voice Center.

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? I enjoyed working with the amazing and talented team of co-residents, attendings, nurses, OR and office staff at Hopkins. I will miss them all next year!

Virginia Drake, M.D.

Seattle, WA
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Please highlight a strength of your training: Alongside the excellent surgical and clinical training, I am appreciative of the strong sense of community that is fundamental to Johns Hopkins Otolaryngology. It is a privilege to be a part of this forward-thinking, dynamic, and supportive department. 

Area of subspecialty focus: Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

What are your career goals? My aim is to build an academic Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery practice alongside clinical research efforts to further the field. Like my mentors, I hope to also be involved in residency program development, education, and perhaps even in departmental leadership someday.

What accomplishment in residency are you most proud of?  I am most proud of the friendships I’ve made in residency that I’m confident will remain life-long.

What leadership experience did you have in residency?  I’ve had the opportunity to serve as Education Chief this year and coordinate didactics for the residency program. 

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? The mentorship I’ve been fortunate to experience here has been extraordinary. I’m grateful to all the faculty who have been central to my professional and personal growth. I would like to specifically recognize Dr. Carole Fakhry, Dr. Zandy Hillel, Dr. Shaun Desai and Dr. Kofi Boahene for their wisdom, insights, and good humor. 

What is next after graduation?  This July I will be heading to the University of Michigan to pursue a fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? The spirit of camaraderie here at Hopkins is special. The traditions and residency events have made these five years memorable. Highlights include the Attendings versus Residents Baltimore Running Festival relay, the Oto-Bear-yngology Camping Trip, and the many dinners and celebrations together. 

Jordan Garcia, M.D.

Fort Wayne, IN
Harvard Medical School

Please highlight a strength of your training: My training benefitted from the breadth of procedures provided by the Hopkins OHNS department and the accessibility to cutting-edge research opportunities.

Area of subspecialty focus: Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.

What are your career goals? Academic Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon/Surgeon-Scientist.

What accomplishment in residency are you most proud of? I am most proud of partaking in translational research during my T32 research years where I studied a question in the lab that was first inspired by patient care I was involved with as a PGY2 resident.
What leadership experience did you have in residency? I organized the first Oto-BEAR-yngology resident camping trip (now a yearly tradition) as well as events for T32 residents to explore potential areas of research.

Who was/ were your mentors? Mentees? Kofi Boahene, Shaun Desai, Jennifer Elisseeff, Patrick Byrne.

What is next after graduation? I will complete a Super-chief year, followed by fellowship (location TBD).

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? The comradery amongst the residents is exceptional.

Christopher Razavi, M.D.

Fairport, NY
Stony Brook University School of Medicine 

Please highlight a strength of your training: Training at Hopkins gave me the opportunity to work with our incredible faculty who are innovators and leaders in the field within their respective subspecialties. 

Area of subspecialty focus: Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.

What are your career goals? I plan to pursue a faculty position at an academic center in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.  

What accomplishment in residency are you most proud of? I submitted two provisional patents pertaining to surgical innovation in Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery in conjunction with faculty within our Department. 

What leadership experience did you have in residency? I was the Academic Chief Resident for the 2020-2021 year. 

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? My primary mentors included Shaun Desai, Kofi Boahene, Jon Russel, and Ralph Tufano.

What is next after graduation? I will be completing fellowship in FPRS at OHSU. 

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? Working with the amazing residency cohort.

Melina J. Windon, M.D.

Willington, CT
University of Connecticut 

Area of subspecialty focus: Head and Neck Surgery with Microvascular Reconstruction.
 
What are your career goals? I would like to be a head and neck surgical oncologist and microvascular reconstructive surgeon at an academic center.

What accomplishment in residency are you most proud of? I am proud of the time I spend during my T32 research fellowship generating the groundwork for and creating a patient-centered website for oropharyngeal cancer treatment decision-making. 

What leadership experience did you have in residency? Professionalism Committee and Educational Chief Resident.
 
Who was/ were your mentors? Mentees? Dr. Carole Fakhry, Dr. Amber D’Souza from the School of Public Health, Dr. David Eisele, Dr. Alexander Hillel, Dr. Wojtek Mydlarz, Dr. Wayne Koch, and all the other members of the head and neck division who have generously given their time and instruction to make me the surgeon I am today. 

What is next after graduation? I will be the head and neck and microvascular reconstruction fellow at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor! 

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? My awesome co-residents have become some of my closest friends over the years. I can’t imagine not being able to walk down the street to share freshly baked cookies while we swap stories  My time here with them has been a truly special gift. 

Jacob Dey, M.D.

Smithton, MO
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Residency Training Program: Mayo Clinic - Rochester, MN.

Please highlight a strength of your training: The amazing mentors and colleagues make this fellowship stand out. Further this is the most comprehensive facial plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship in the country. 

Area of subspecialty focus? Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.

What are your career goals? I will strive to provide the best possible care to patients needing facial plastic and reconstructive surgery while advancing the field through an academic practice.

What accomplishment in fellowship are you most proud of? I had the opportunity to inspire medical students and residents to consider facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, mentoring them, and sharing in their successes as they progress through their training. There is great satisfaction in paying it forward. 

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? I am blessed to have so many amazing fellowship mentors, including: Kofi Boahene, Ira Papel, Lisa Ishii, Shaun Desai, Patrick Byrne, and Jason Nellis. 

What is next after graduation? I will be joining the faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. As a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Mayo Clinic, I will have a relatively comprehensive facial plastics practice with particular focus on facial reanimation and facial rejuvenation. 

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? The amazing people I have the privilege of working with each day, they make the work fun.

Mana Espahbodi, M.D.

Wellesley, MA
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Residency Training Program: Medical College of Wisconsin.

Please highlight a strength of your training: My pediatric otolaryngology training at Hopkins has provided me with the incredible experience of managing complex patients. There are a plethora of opportunities to learn from these patients and discuss their care at case conferences and one-on-one with the faculty. 

Area of subspecialty focus? Pediatric otolaryngology and otology/neurotology.

What are your career goals? I aspire to work in academic medicine and care for pediatric and adult patients with otologic and neurotologic disorders. 

What accomplishment in fellowship are you most proud of? I am most proud of my continued enthusiasm for teaching residents and medical students. 

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? I have been fortunate to have so many incredible mentors and mentees along the way. The entire pediatric otolaryngology team at Hopkins served as incredible mentors. My mentees are several residents at the Medical College of Wisconsin, whom I continue to collaborate with on research projects.

What is next after graduation? I will begin a Neurotology fellowship at the University of Utah.

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? I enjoyed lunch with the team at the Thursday, JHH Farmers' Market!

Eric Formeister, M.D.

Somers, CT
University of North Carolina School of Medicine

Residency Training Program: University of California, San Francisco.

Please highlight a strength of your training: Surgical repair of superior semicircular canal dehiscence.

Area of subspecialty focus? Otology, Neurotology, and Lateral Skull Base Surgery.

What are your career goals? I plan to become a fellowship and then residency program director at an academic medical center. 

What accomplishment in fellowship are you most proud of? One of the really cool and unexpected accomplishments at Hopkins was a study I performed with Dr. Sun that looked at the association between sudden hearing loss and COVID-19 vaccination. At the time, we were hoping to lend some real data to a problem that was emerging and being reported sporadically/anecdotally around the country. However, given the public attention to COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination, as well as the very divided population in the U.S. regarding vaccination for COVID-19, our publication turned into a really widely read and cited/tweeted story in numerous media outlets. I was interviewed by several major media outlets, including Reuters and Medscape, and even got to report a Podcast for JAMA-Otolaryngology, which was aired on the day our second publication relating to this issue was published!

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? At Hopkins, my principal mentor was Dr. John Carey, but Dr. Della Santina, Dr. Matthew Stewart, Dr. Yuri Agrawal, Dr. Wade Chien, Dr. Pete Creighton, Dr. Dan Sun, Dr. Bryan Ward, and Dr. Deepa Galaiya were all mentors. As a fellow, I get to operate with and teach all of the second year and fifth year fellows, which is a really fun aspect of training at Hopkins. 

What is next after graduation? I accepted a faculty position as a neurotologist and Assistant Professor at Duke University School of Medicine. 

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? Performing superior canal dehiscence surgery was a fun aspect of my training! This is a unique training aspect of the neurotology fellowship at Hopkins, as this very interesting pathology and the surgery to repair it were both discovered/invented at Hopkins. I have done over 70 of these surgeries with Dr. Carey in my fellowship, and the surgeries have become my favorite of all the otology/neurotology surgeries. Another fun aspect of training is how wonderful, lighthearted and easy-going all of the faculty are at Hopkins. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know them while operating beside them!

Richard Harbison, M.D.

Colorado Springs, CO
University of Colorado

Residency Training Program: University of Washington.

Please highlight a strength of your training: The best part of the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins are the fellowship faculty who dedicated significant time and energy to promote my growth as a surgeon and as an individual. The program provided a high volume, rigorous yet flexible training experience tailored to my interests while covering the principal training requirements of the American Head and Neck Society. Routinely managing complex cases with gradually increased autonomy and the opportunity to fully function as an attending surgeon promoted my surgical development in a safe environment with abundant mentorship. Integrating a rigorous clinical training experience with an equally rigorous (optional) research training experienced accelerated my career development and paved a path to academic surgery. Training opportunities with leaders in our field as well as leaders in Medical and Radiation Oncology and Speech and Language Pathology further enhanced the training experience.

Area of subspecialty focus? I will focus on Endocrine Head and Neck Surgery in clinical practice.

What are your career goals? To be a leader clinically in Endocrine Head and Neck Surgery and in translational research studying metabolic dysregulation of immunity in tumor progression and autoimmunity (i.e., Graves' disease, Hashimoto's disease).

What accomplishment in fellowship are you most proud of? I am most proud of handling complex cases that I was uncomfortable with following residency including mastering transoral robotic surgery and receiving a competitive KL2 Mentored Career Development Award. 

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? Drs. Fakhry, Koch, Eisele, and Gourin were my primary mentors. I also received mentorship from Drs. Vosler, London, Tan, and Mandal.

What is next after graduation? I am excited to be joining the wonderful faculty of Johns Hopkins Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery following the completion of fellowship.

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? A fun aspect of training at Hopkins is experiencing the rich history of the Johns Hopkins Hospital and walking the same halls that the giants of medicine graced as well as working with the finest resident team in the country!

Hannah Kavookjian, M.D.

Liberty, MO
University of Vermont College of Medicine

Residency Training Program: University of Kansas.

Please highlight a strength of your training: High clinical volume in both residency and fellowship allowed me many opportunities to learn from all different kinds of patients.

Area of subspecialty focus? Laryngology.

What are your career goals? I will work as an Academic Laryngologist. 

What accomplishment in fellowship are you most proud of? I am most proud of staffing my first operative case! It was a direct laryngoscopy, and despite its relative straightforwardness, I was still nervous!

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? Dr. Akst, Dr. Hillel, Dr. Best, Dr. Dhar, and Dr. Motz all provided mentorship to me throughout this year. I am very grateful for their wisdom, kindness, and the opportunity to learn from them and their patients. 

What is next after graduation? I will be joining an academic laryngology practice at the University of Kansas. 

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? It was fun to explore a new city, get to know the other fellows and members of the ENT department, and to work with so many intelligent and motivated healthcare providers across different specialties. (Also it was fun to see everyone's silly socks in the OR!).

Duncan Watley, M.D.

Kearney, NE
University of Nebraska

Residency Training Program: University of Texas Medical Branch.

Please highlight a strength of your training: Johns Hopkins offers the best endoscopic orbital experience in the country.

Area of subspecialty focus: Rhinology and skullbase surgery.

What are your career goals? I plan to become the outstanding rhinologist in the great state of Montana.

What accomplishment in fellowship are you most proud of? I significantly improved my skullbase anatomy and instrumentation skills and produced the most academic research works in a single year of my life.

Who was/were your mentors? Mentees? Andrew Lane, Nick Rowan, Masaru Ishii, Gary Gallia.

What is next after graduation? I will pursue a private practice career in Missoula, Montana.

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? I enjoyed living in the great city of Baltimore – far more than I expected. Working in interdisciplinary teams, especially with our neurosurgery and oculoplastic collogues. 

Samantha Wolfe, M.D.

Saskatoon, SK, Canada
St. Martinus University

Residency Training Program: St. Luke’s University Health Network.

Please highlight a strength of your training: A strength of this past year has been the high case volume and opportunity for independence in running my own OR room.

Area of subspecialty focus? Endocrine Surgery.

What are your career goals? I would like to become the go-to person in Canada for RFA and TOETVA.

What accomplishment in fellowship are you most proud of? I am most proud of learning transoral thyroidectomy (TOETVA).

Who was/ were your mentors? Mentees? I worked with Jon Russell all year, and I could not have asked for a better mentor!

What is next after graduation? I will be moving to Toronto, ON.

A fun aspect of training at Hopkins? A great aspect was having access to technology and procedures only a few training institutions do across the country do (RFA, TOETVA). Also, it was great knowing that our patients had access to the most up-to-date regimens and novel therapies.