Our Opportunities for Medical Students
The Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery actively participates in the education of medical students. In addition to daily interactions, the department provides the following didactic lectures:
- Two one-hour lectures to first-year medical students about the specialty of Otolaryngology
- Two one-hour lectures and inside look to second-year medical students on what a career in Otolaryngology is like.
The department offers the below courses to both third-year and fourth-year medical students.
Third-year medical students
- Otolaryngology Selective (UPP / Ambulatory Care Clerkship)
- Surgery Subspecialty; ENT (UPRSN)
- Comprehensive Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
- Sub-Internship spend with all of our subspecialties
- Open to OSU Students, May - October
- Open to Visiting Students through VSLO, July - October
- Advanced Pediatric Otolaryngology at Nationwide Children's Hospital
- Open to OSU and Visiting Students through VSLO, July - October
- AMRCC Contemporary Comprehensive Care of Cancer Patient
- Otolaryngology–Research Elective
Medical students interested in completing an away rotation with our department should apply through The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities.
Please note that within the COM, students are recruiting and leading the ENTMP and ENTIG, which can be a great resource for opportunities throughout the department.
Visiting Student Scholarship for Medical Students
The Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery is offering visiting student scholarships for the upcoming academic year. The program is open to all and is intended for students seeking to obtain additional clinical exposure to the field of Otolaryngology and its subspecialties. Additional consideration will be given to those students with economic hardships and limited Otolaryngology exposure at their home institution. The $1,500 scholarship will be used to help offset cost for travel, lodging and other student needs.
Students applying for one of the scholarships should be in their fourth year of medical school with plans to apply for an Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) residency position; they should also be interested in rotating at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Applications for our sub-I rotation must be done through AAMC/VSLO.
All interested applicants must provide:
- a letter of interest (one page in length), outlining why you chose OSU and briefly describing financial need
- an updated CV
- one letter of recommendation.
Deadline to apply is June 1, although early submission is encouraged. To submit your application or learn more information, contact Medical Student Education Program Coordinator Elaine Ortiz at Elaine.OrtizSanchez@osumc.edu or Director of Medical Student Education Lauren Miller, MD, MBA at Lauren.Miller@osumc.edu.
2026 Pediatric Otolaryngology Medical Student Bootcamp
The Pediatric Otolaryngology faculty at The Ohio State University/ Nationwide Children’s Hospital are thrilled to announce the First Annual Pediatric Otolaryngology Medical Student Bootcamp! All students participating in a sub-internship rotation in 2026 are invited to attend, at no cost to the learner. Please note that this event is by invitation only. Communication will be sent out this spring to the individuals completing a sub-I rotation with our department.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Simulation Center
520 Butterfly Gardens Drive, Columbus, OH 43215
Saturday August 1, 2026 from 8:00 am 12:00pm EST.
The Bootcamp will allow students planning to apply into Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery to gain experience in many pediatric otolaryngology procedures, including:
• otomicroscopy
• myringotomy
• tube placement
• abscess drainage
• airway endoscopy
• laryngotracheal reconstruction
Please contact the course directors with any questions:
Dr. Meredith Lind | Meredith.Lind@nationwidechildrens.org
Dr. Rishabh Sethia | Rishabh.Sethia@nationwidechildrens.org
Dr. Aaron Thatcher | Aaron.Thatcher@nationwidechildrens.org
Buckeye Otolaryngology Surgeon-Scientist Training (BOOST) Program
We are pleased to announce that the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery has received an NIH/NIDCD R25 Training Grant (MPI Program Directors: Drs. Oliver Adunka and Emily Plowman). The R25 BOOST program offers two funded 9-month research fellowships for medical students, with positions commencing by August 1, 2026. Trainees are matched with NIH-funded faculty mentors and receive structured training in research methods, ethics, scientific writing, and career development. A fellowship stipend and research allowance are provided.
Eligibility:
Applicants must be enrolled in medical school in good academic standing. At the time of appointment, they must be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident.
Research Areas and Faculty Mentors:
Trainees will be mentored by a primary NIH funded R25 BOOST faculty member and clinical faculty mentor who meet NIDCD R25 training program faculty criteria.
Available research areas include hearing, balance, taste and smell, airway, voice, speech and swallowing, health care policy, and head and neck cancer.
How to Apply
Submit the following materials to both R25 BOOST Program Directors:
1. Curriculum vitae
2. Personal statement covering:
a. Why you are pursuing this fellowship
b. Career goals and how mentored research will advance them
c. Prior research experience and areas of interest
d. Preferred faculty mentor, if known (encouraged but not required)
3. Two letters of reference
4. Academic transcripts
Send to:
Dr. Oliver Adunka – oliver.adunka@osumc.edu
Dr. Emily Plowman – emily.plowman@osumc.edu
Application Deadline
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until both positions are filled. Strong candidates will be interviewed and offered positions as they are identified, so early submission is strongly encouraged.
Review Criteria
Applications are evaluated on: (1) academic record, (2) research experience and productivity,
(3) alignment with NIDCD research areas, (4) letters of recommendation, and (5) potential for an independent surgeon-scientist career. Highly ranked applicants will be invited for an interview and an opportunity to meet with potential faculty mentors.
Research Opportunities for Ohio State Medical Students
There are several opportunities for medical students at The Ohio State University to participate in research in our department. If you are interested in research with the Department of Otolaryngology, please contact Beth Miles-Markley or Jamie Wohrer at:
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Eye and Ear Institute
915 Olentangy River Road, Suite 4000
Columbus, OH 43212