33rd Annual Alumni Symposium
The Alumni Symposium is designed to highlight both clinical and research activities of the faculty, residents, fellows and alumni of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. This program is directed to practicing otolaryngologists, residents, fellows, physician assistants, audiologists, speech pathologists and nurses.
Registration coming soon.
2025 Alumni Symposium Speakers and Awardees
Mark Varvares, MD, FACS, has been named the David E. Schuller Lecturer for the 32nd Annual ENT Alumni Symposium. His lecture is titled, "Leadership."
Dr. Varvares is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1976 to 1980 as a pre-dental student. He then received an acceptance to the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, where he spent one year from 1980 to 1981. After one year of dental school, it was clear to Dr. Varvares that medicine, and not dentistry, would be the most appropriate career path. He entered the Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 1982 and graduated in 1986 magna cum laude and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society.
He trained in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, completing one year at Saint Louis University and remainder at Harvard. Following residency, he completed a one-year Head and Neck Ablative and Reconstructive Surgery fellowship at Harvard under the direction of Drs. William Montgomery and Mack Cheney. After completing training he held faculty appointments at both Saint Louis University and Harvard.
In 2003, he assumed the position as Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at Saint Louis University. In January of 2006, Dr. Varvares was also named Director of the Saint Louis University Cancer Center. In April of 2008, Dr. Varvares was named the first incumbent of the Donald and Marlene Jerome Endowed Chair in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. In February of 2015 he left St Louis to return to Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and the Harvard Department of Otolaryngology to serve as the Associate Chair. He currently holds the William Montgomery and John Merriam Endowed Chair at Harvard Medical School. In 2018 he was promoted to the rank of Professor of Otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School.
In July of 2021 he was named Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Harvard Medical School and the Chief of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear and the Massachusetts General Hospital.
His present clinical interests include all areas of head and neck surgical oncology, including major ablative and reconstructive surgery of the head and neck with a focus on the oral cavity, multidisciplinary care of the head and neck cancer patient and skull base surgery. He maintains a busy surgical practice in head and neck surgery.
Research interests include the impact that surgical pathology of head and neck cancers has on oncologic outcomes, intraoperative imaging in oral cancer resections, the functional evaluation of patients undergoing treatment for cancer of the oral cavity and how to optimize the outcomes and how level of education and socioeconomic status impacts treatment patterns and outcomes in head and neck cancer patients.
Andrew Tompkins, MD, MBA, has been named the David R. Kelly Lecturer for the 32nd Annual ENT Alumni Symposium. His lecture is titled, "The Economics of Graduate Medical Education in Otolaryngology."
Dr. Tompkins, originally from the Philadelphia area, attended Duke University on a Naval ROTC scholarship. He earned his medical degree at Loyola University Chicago, after which he completed his training in Otolaryngology at The Ohio State University. While in training he met his wife, a Columbus native and Ohio State graduate.
After his training, Dr. Tompkins served as an otolaryngologist in the United States Navy and provided comprehensive care of wide-ranging ear, nose, and throat disorders for eight years, during which time he served as Department Head and completed his MBA at the University of North Carolina. He had the honor of taking care of combat casualties as well as service members, their families, and veterans at home.
Following his service, Dr. Tompkins returned to central Ohio with his wife and three children and is continuing his commitment to serve his community both inside and outside of medicine. His clinical interests include comprehensive care of adult and pediatric ENT disorders as well as value-based care delivery. In his spare time, Dr. Tompkins enjoys piano, photography, and spending time with his family.
Panel discussions with our esteemed alumni will include:
Medical Mission Trips
Moderator: Matthew Old, MD
Panelists: Philip Chaffin, MD; Jonathan Grischkan, MD; Robert Sinard, MD
Class of 2017: Career Pathways from Graduation to Today
Moderator: Nolan Seim, MD
Panelists: Benjamin Bush, MD; Azeem Kaka, MD; Daniel Strigenz, MD
About Our Distinct Lectureships
An internationally renowned head and neck oncologist, Dr. Schuller served many roles at Ohio State, including chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, vice president of Medical Center Expansion and Outreach, CEO of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center –James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute and professor, John W. Wolfe Chair, in Cancer Research.
Chosen award recipients are internationally renowned for their accomplishments in patient care, research and education in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.
The David R. Kelly, MD, Lecturer is named in honor of the late David R. Kelly, MD, a former physician and vice chair of the Ohio State Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Department who had a keen sense of the financial aspect of healthcare.
Dr. Kelly served as a member of the department from 1972-2000, at which time he became faculty emeritus until his passing in 2014. Dr. Kelly was also a member and past president of the Franklin County Unit and Ohio Division of the American Cancer Society, the Sierra Cascade Trauma Society, the Columbus Medical Forum and the Ohio Society of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.
Lecturers are chosen based on their accomplishments in medical economics.
Past Symposiums
David E. Schuller Lectureship Award: Mark Varvares, MD, FACS
David R. Kelly, MD Lecturer in Medical Economics: Andrew Tompkins, MD, MBA
Honorary Guest Speakers: Charles Elmaraghy, MD and Nolan Seim, MD, MBA
David E. Schuller Lectureship Award: Tina Stankovic, MD, PhD, FACS
David R. Kelly, MD Lecturer in Medical Economics: Ness Shroff, PhD
Honorary Guest Speaker: Mark Inman, MBA
David E. Schuller Lectureship Award: Carole Fakhry, MD, MPH
David R. Kelly, MD Lecturer in Medical Economics: James Fowler, PhD
Honorary Guest Speaker: David Schuller, MD; Bradley Welling, MD, PhD, FACS; Theodoros Teknos, MD