We are excited to share the next steps of our five chief residents, Tania Benjamin, MD; Jacqueline E. Harris, MD; Sifon Nadon, MD; Neil Patel, MD; and Karolina Plonowska-Hirschfeld, MD.
Drs. Benjamin, Harris, Nadon, Patel and Plonowska-Hirschfeld are concluding their residencies at the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF OHNS). Hear about their memorable lessons and mentors at UCSF OHNS, the advice they have to offer and their research interests.
Tania Benjamin, MD
After nine years of training at UCSF, I have learned several invaluable lessons, such as the importance of providing holistic patient care by understanding patients beyond their diagnoses and the significance of multidisciplinary teams.
Throughout my training, many faculty members in the School of Medicine and the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery have played pivotal roles in my development as a physician and surgeon. My early research with Dr. Rahul Seth ignited my passion for Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. As a resident, Dr. Seth and the Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery division have been instrumental in guiding and supporting my career aspirations in this field. Additionally, Dr. Jolie Chang has been an outstanding mentor, offering unwavering support for both my research endeavors and career development.
I plan to continue using evidence-based medicine to deliver the highest quality care to my patients, consistently integrating the latest research and advancements into my practice.
I advise rising chief residents to continue learning as much as possible to provide the best care for their future patients. Enjoy the final phase of your residency and prepare to embrace the next chapter of your training with enthusiasm and readiness.
Jacqueline E. Harris, MD
One of the most memorable lessons I'm taking away from my time at UCSF is the importance of collaboration in patient care. UCSF is a truly remarkable place in that the level of expertise across other specialties has led to countless moments of education from providers outside of our department. Interdisciplinary teamwork is crucial in otolaryngology, and being surrounded by brilliant colleagues can prove to make a difference in patient care.
During my residency, I developed a keen interest in pediatric hearing loss, driven by my motivation to improve outcomes and care for URM patients and their families. I've also learned how to leverage the resources and colleagues in other fields that I might not have otherwise been able to collaborate with. Moving forward, I plan to build on this foundation by continuing disparities research to make meaningful advancements in care.
I've been fortunate to have several mentors at UCSF who have been instrumental in my success. Dr. Dylan Chan stands out for his unwavering dedication to research mentorship and career guidance. Dr. Anna Meyer has imparted medical knowledge and the art of compassionate and holistic patient care. Drs. Patricia Loftus and Jeffrey Sharon have guided me through not only challenging cases but have also encouraged me to think critically and innovate in my approach to research. Their mentorship has been invaluable over the last few years.
My biggest advice to the rising chief residents is to be present in the 'now' to allow yourself to feel and experience all the final moments of residency. It's so easy to get caught up in the next steps and the tasks ahead that you can miss marinating in the present. As you take on increased chief responsibilities, remember that your actions set the tone for the entire residency program. Foster a supportive environment where every resident feels valued and heard. Lead by example in both clinical excellence and professional conduct. And most importantly, prioritize self-care and encourage your team to do the same. Balancing leadership with empathy will enhance patient care and cultivate a positive and thriving residency culture.
Sifon Nadon, MD
This may sound cliche, but our department has always emphasized implementing the UCSF PRIDE values. I hope to carry these values with me long after leaving UCSF.
I hope to be able to delve deeper into public health issues that affect the care we deliver to head and neck cancer patients.
I have taken away valuable lessons from many attendings, but Drs. Patrick Ha, Ivan El-Sayed and Jolie Chang have been instrumental in guiding residency.
Embrace the challenges, never pass up an opportunity to learn during your final year as a resident, support each other, and remember to take time to have fun, too.
Neil Patel, MD
The team [at UCSF OHNS] is what makes everything possible. We are so lucky to work in a collaborative environment at UCSF. I have genuinely enjoyed learning alongside such amazing people daily.
To rising chief residents, you got this! You've rotated on every rotation once already by this point. Now is your time to fine-tune and teach!
Thank you to the mentors along the way, including Drs. Andrew Goldberg, Steven Pletcher, Patricia Loftus and José Gurrola II while I explored the possibility of pursuing Rhinology. As I settled the decision of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery: Drs. Daniel Knott, Rahul Seth and Andrea Park helped me explore the full breadth of the field. They guided me toward the fellowship that will afford me the training in exactly the type of care I hope to provide for my patients!
Karolina Plonowska-Hirschfeld, MD
During my training, it's been clear that the people and the workplace culture create an amazing environment for the practice of medicine. Investing time and effort into building relationships with people both within and outside of our department is what translates into novel approaches to challenging clinical problems, access to new technologies, and sponsorship for professional development. Innovation thrives in an environment where every voice is heard, valued, and respected; this emphasis on embracing diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas really shaped my experience as a trainee, and I hope to carry it forward in my career.
One of the facets of UCSF OHNS that makes it such a special place to train is the faculty mentorship, particularly in research. Drs. Steve Cheung and Jolie Chang's brilliant ideas have been instrumental in bringing our projects on skeletal muscle response to microacoustic energy pulses to fruition. In clinical research, I've worked closely with Drs. William Ryan, Daniel Knott, and Patrick Ha - each of them have shared their invaluable expertise in study design and building meaningful and productive relationships with collaborators. I'm immensely grateful for how each of them fundamentally shaped my academic trajectory and growth as a surgeon over the last 5 years.
While I am still working on finding my research niche within head and neck oncology, I've always been passionate about projects that highlight the human experience of cancer treatment and its impact on survivorship. I plan to lead longitudinal studies examining how oncologic control, symptomatology, and treatment-related quality of life change with novel therapeutics and shifts in clinical practice. I'm excited to see how my fellowship year will shape these ideas, but I'm grateful to UCSF and our faculty for giving me a solid foundation to take on diverse projects ahead.
For rising chief residents, cherish every case you do and take time to appreciate the little things that make each case run smoothly. Ask to record rare or interesting cases; if a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine a video's worth! As the team leader, set expectations high, but make your junior residents feel heard and support them in any way you can. Most importantly - enjoy chiefdom! It's your best year yet.
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Join us in congratulating Drs. Patel, Plonowska, Benjamin, Harris and Nadon as they finish up their residencies at UCSF OHNS and prepare for the next step in their academic journeys!
