As 2022 comes to an end, we are so excited the share the next steps of our three incredible chief residents, Kara Brodie, MD, MPhil, Abel David, MD, and Gaelen Stanford-Moore, MD, MPhil.
Drs. Brodie, David and Stanford-Moore are halfway through their PGY-5 year at the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF OHNS). Hear about their chosen subspecialty, fellowship, mentors at UCSF, and clinical and research interests, in their own words.
Kara Brodie, MD, MPhil
Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship, Seattle Children's
I am thrilled to be heading to Seattle Children's for a comprehensive pediatric otolaryngology fellowship under the leadership of Kathleen Sie, MD, and Henry Ou, MD. I am drawn to the program for the incredible faculty, strength of training across all aspects of pediatric otolaryngology and exposure to the nationally recognized multidisciplinary Childhood Communication Center providing comprehensive care for complex hearing and speech pathologies for children in the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho region.
I am drawn to pediatric otolaryngology for its profound impact on early child development by addressing breathing, feeding, sleeping, hearing and language development. I aim to maximize early child development and subsequent life outcomes by building community-based efforts for earlier hearing loss detection and hearing loss interventions, educating families on the importance of optimizing sound environments and improving attention and learning through management of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea.
I feel immense gratitude for the incredible training and mentorship I have received from all of the UCSF faculty who I hope to eventually emulate, including Dylan Chan, MD, PhD, Anna Meyer, MD, Kristina Rosbe, MD, and Charles Limb, MD.
Abel David, MD
Otology, Neurotology and Lateral Skull Base Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye & Ear
I couldn't be more excited to be joining a highly sought-after two-year fellowship in Otology, Neurotology and Lateral Skull Base Surgery at Harvard/Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary (MEEI) in Boston under the stewardship of fellowship director Daniel Lee, MD, FACS. What made the program at Harvard/MEEI stand out above the rest was not just the vast array of clinical opportunities to become an adept otologic and skull base surgeon, but also the attention placed on successful academic career development. During fellowship, I will continue to pave the way for a career as a surgeon-scientist. Under the mentorship of David Jung, MD, PhD, I will continue to leverage my expertise in computational biology and inner ear development to hopefully bring us closer to the elusive goal of a biological cure for hearing loss.
I was drawn to the sub-specialty field of Otology & Neurotology because of the immense impact disorders of hearing and balance can have on patients and their quality of life. As a hearing health specialist, I also look forward to helping both children and adults improve their abilities to communicate, interact with the world and appreciate things like music.
I could not have matched at such an esteemed program without the support of my incredible faculty role models at UCSF: Charles Limb, MD, Taha Jan, MD, Jeffery Sharon, MD, Aaron Tward, MD, PhD, and Steven Cheung, MD.
Gaelen Stanford-Moore, MD, MPhil
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, Oregon Health & Science University
I am ecstatic to have matched at my top choice, the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, for the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (FPRS) fellowship starting next summer. I will be under the tutelage of Tom Wang, MD, FACS, and Myriam Loyo Li, MD, MCR. I chose this program for its breadth of clinical training as well as storied legacy of training leaders in academic FPRS. OHSU is one of the few programs in the nation that provides fellows with the opportunity to train as part of the multidisciplinary craniofacial surgical team doing cleft lip and palate surgery, as well as facial reanimation, facial trauma, rhinoplasty and skin cancer reconstruction.
I chose FPRS for its range of surgical skills that greatly impact the quality of life for a diverse patient population. I plan to have a career as an academic facial plastic surgeon and continue my research interests in global access to safe surgery in the U.S. and East Africa, as well as for vulnerable populations locally, which include trauma victims and the transgender and gender diverse community.
I am grateful to my mentors at UCSF, Daniel Knott, MD, Rahul Seth, MD, and Andrea Park, MD, for supporting not only my fellowship applications but also my career interests, allowing me to explore my own research and clinical passions.
Join us in congratulating Drs. Brodie, David and Stanford-Moore as they finish up their residencies at UCSF OHNS and prepare for the next step in their academic journeys!
