Academic Voice Programs

The Emory Voice Center: Laryngology Fellowship

The Emory Voice Center Experience

The Emory Voice Center consists of a multidisciplinary team of 3 fellowship trained laryngologists, voice therapists, singing specialists and dysphagia therapists. The entire spectrum of voice and swallow related pathologies are addressed, utilizing state-of-the-art equipment and techniques. Approximately 2000 videostroboscopic voice examinations over 500 voice-related procedures are performed yearly. The Emory Voice Center provides the fellows with an excellent exposure to the full spectrum of voice and swallowing disorders, and their medical and surgical management. Through bimonthly “Voice Rounds,” clinic-based teaching and progressive responsibility in the operating room based on individual ability, the fellows receive a well-balanced, academic experience. Fellows will be mentored by 3 laryngologists (Drs. Michael Johns III, Adam Klein and Melissa Statham) and will work with a team of therapists (led by Dr. Edie Hapner, CCC-SLP) conducting voice, singing and swallowing therapy.

Fellowship Goals and Objectives

The laryngology fellowship experience at The Emory Voice Center is geared towards the development of competency in the diagnosis and treatment of voice and swallowing disorders, and exposure to their multidisciplinary medical and surgical treatments. Fellows are expected to participate in the evaluation of patients in the outpatient setting for the purpose of learning the history taking and physical examination skills as they pertain to vocal disorders, and develop skills with videostobolaryngoscopy techniques and interpretation. Diagnostic skills are further challenged through monthly “Voice Rounds,” where the fellow will be responsible for presenting difficult voice cases from previous weeks, and expected to understand and convey all of the issues as they pertain to the diagnosis and treatment of the patients. Fellows also work in close conjunction with on-site speech language pathologists and singing specialists to improve their understanding of the role of nonsurgical treatment and physical rehabilitation of the voice.

Fellows will perform numerous office-based procedures, including videostrobolaryngoscopy, transnasal esophagoscopy, laryngeal BOTOX injections, awake injection medialization laryngoplasties, laryngeal electromyography, and awake endolaryngeal laser procedures.

The operating experience will expose the fellow to endolaryngeal procedures (such as direct laryngoscopies, microsuspension laryngoscopies, phonomicrosurgery for benign and malignant lesions, and treatment of laryngeal and airway stenosis), laryngeal framework procedures, and major airway reconstruction. Fellows will learn the physiological and technical issues regarding these surgeries. In order to hone a surgical skill set to treat disorders of the voice, the fellows will have access to a state-of-the-art laryngeal surgical dissection lab (on the premises), which is equipped with surgical trainers to allow for laryngeal framework procedures and endolaryngeal phonomicrosurgery on cadaveric specimens.

Following Completion of the Laryngology Fellowship at the Emory Voice Center, Fellows Will:

have comprehensive knowledge of voice, airway and swallowing disorders;
be competent in the evaluation and treatment of patients with voice, airway and swallowing disorders;
be able to perform the full array of office-based procedures for voice disorders;
be skilled in endoscopic and open laryngeal, pharyngeal and airway surgical procedures in the operating room setting.

Fellow Responsibilities

Team Participation and Autonomy
The laryngology fellow at the Emory Voice Center is expected to function as part of the team of physicians and speech pathologists in the outpatient setting at the Emory Voice Center at Emory University Hospital Midtown. In this way, they will participate in patient workups and office-based procedures. The fellow will also have their own clinic for voice, airway and swallowing disorders 1 day per week. The fellow will also participate in surgical procedures in the operating room with all cases. Since they will be performing the more complex aspects of the surgeries in a progressive fashion, they are expected to develop a solid skill set in phonomicrosurgical and laryngeal framework procedures in the surgical training laboratory. Time will be allotted weekly for this purpose, as needed. Fellows will also develop more autonomy by rotating once per month at Grady Memorial Hospital, where they will staff laryngology-related cases and clinics, as well as general otolaryngology cases when possible.
Call Schedule

Fellows will rotate in the attending call schedule in the Department of Otolaryngology.
Research
Fellows are expected to participate in new or ongoing research efforts. Research time is provided in the schedule (see “Schedule” section). Currently, the Emory Voice Center faculty is involved in many ongoing research projects, both clinical and laboratory based. Several of these projects are translational research in conjunction with scientists at The Georgia Institute of Technology. Fellows are expected to submit at least one abstract to a national meeting for oral presentation and one manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal.
Didactics and Teaching
Fellows are expected to participate in the training and teaching of medical students and residents in the laryngology rotation. They will help coordinate “Voice Rounds” and will give one Departmental Grand Rounds lecture during the year.

Conferences

Fellows have the option of attending all educational conferences sponsored by the Emory Voice Center and the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Emory. This includes the weekly grand rounds and didactic lectures. An effort will be made to sponsor the fellow at a regional or national conference if they have an accepted presentation.

Housing

Although the Emory Voice Center and Emory Department of Otolaryngology cannot offer room or board to the visiting fellows, efforts will be made to assist in the coordination of these issues.

Length of Fellowship

A 12 month fellowship will be offered to applicants who have successfully completed an otolaryngology residency and passed all 3 stages of the USMLE.

Schedule

Monday:
8am-9am Voice Rounds (once a month)
8am-12pm Voice/Swallowing/General Clinic (Fellow)
7am-5pm Surgery/Procedures (Dr. Statham)
1pm-5pm Voice Clinic (Dr. Johns)

Tuesday:
7am-5pm Surgery/Procedures (Dr. Johns)
8am-5pm Voice Clinic (Dr. Klein)
2nd Tues/mo Grady Memorial Hospital staffing

Wednesday:
8am-12pm Voice Clinic (Dr. Johns)
8am-12pm Awake laryngeal procedures (Dr. Klein)
1pm-5pm Voice Clinic (Dr. Klein)

Thursday:
7am-8am Departmental Grand Rounds
7am-5pm Surgery/Procedures (Dr. Klein)
9am-12pm Voice Clinic (Dr. Johns)
1pm-5pm Voice Clinic (Dr. Statham)
1pm-5pm BOTOX Clinic (Dr. Johns)

Friday:
8am-12pm Voice Clinic (Dr. Klein)
1pm-5pm BOTOX Clinic (Dr. Klein)
1pm-5pm Voice/Swallowing/General Clinic (Fellow)

Speech Language Pathology Clinical Fellowship in Voice and Swallowing

The Emory Voice Center of Emory University's Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery provides the opportunity for one highly qualified graduate of an accredited Speech-Language Pathology program to complete a 12-month fellowship dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of people with voice and swallowing disorders. New this year, the Voice Center is providing an opportunity for a clinician who has previously completed a CFY and who has obtained ASHA CCC's to spend one year in advanced training in voice and swallowing.

The Emory Voice Center is a multidisciplinary center staffed by specialists in Laryngology, Speech-Language Pathology, Singing Voice Specialists and Dysphagia Specialists. The candidate will participate in multidisciplinary voice clinics, multidisciplinary head and neck cancer clinics, multidisciplinary swallowing clinics, and work in a state-of-the-art voice laboratory under the mentorship of The Emory Voice Center professional staff. The candidate will be a member of a cutting-edge Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Cancer department and have the benefits of academic and research endeavors.

This fellowship year offers experience and training in:
Advanced flexible and rigid endoscopic laryngeal imaging and videostroboscopy
FEES studies and modified barium swallow studies
Acoustic and aerodynamic voice assessment
Advanced voice evaluation and therapy and working closely with a singing voice specialist
Laryngeal cancer treatment including TEP

Dates for the fellowship are August through July each year. The candidate must have graduated from a master's level accredited graduate program in speech-language pathology prior to July 1 of the year applying for the fellowship. The candidate must have experience in the evaluation and treatment of voice and swallowing disorders through graduate student work, previous CFY, or employment. The candidate must present a strong academic background and solid recommendations of both their clinical skill, initiative, and potential for successful completion of this fellowship. Experience in working with the singing voice or swallowing, including modified barium swallows, is a plus.

The application process opens on January 1 of each year and closes on the last Friday in February. Interested candidates should send:
A curriculum vitae
3 letters of recommendation, including at least one letter from someone who can comment on clinical skill
An official transcript with documentation of graduation date or expected date of graduation
A cover letter documenting their background and interest in voice and swallowing and their goals for a CFY experience
To develop independence in evaluating and treating patients with voice and swallowing disorders
To develop skills in endoscopic and open laryngeal surgical procedures

Please send all relevant materials to:
Edie R. Hapner, PhD CCC-SLP Assistant Professor, Dept. of Otolaryngology,
Head and Neck Surgery Director of Speech Pathology-The Emory Voice Center
550 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 9-4400
Atlanta, Georgia 30308

For questions, email Dr. Hapner at Edie.Hapner@Emoryhealthcare.org

The Emory Voice Center: Laryngology Mini-Fellowship

Goals and Objectives

The observational mini-fellowship experience at The Emory Voice Center is geared towards the development of an increased awareness of voice and swallowing disorders, and exposure to their multidisciplinary medical and surgical treatments. Fellows are expected to observe the evaluation of patients in the outpatient setting for the purpose of learning the history taking and physical examination skills as they pertain to vocal disorders, and become familiar with videostobolaryngoscopy techniques and interpretation. Diagnostic skills are further challenged through weekly “Voice Rounds,” where the fellow will be responsible for presenting difficult voice cases from previous weeks, and expected to understand and convey all of the issues as they pertain to the diagnosis and treatment of the patients. Fellows also work in close conjunction with on-site speech language pathologists and singing specialists, which improves their understanding of the role of nonsurgical treatment and physical rehabilitation of the voice.

Fellows will be exposed to numerous office-based procedures, including videostrobolaryngoscopy, transnasal esophagoscopy, laryngeal BOTOX injections, injection medialization laryngoplasties, and endolaryngeal laser procedures. Operating experience will expose the fellow to endolaryngeal procedures (such as direct laryngoscopies, microsuspension laryngoscopies, phonomicrosurgery for benign and malignant lesions, and treatment of laryngeal and airway stenosis), and laryngeal framework procedures. Fellows will learn the physiological and technical issues regarding these surgeries. In order to begin to develop a surgical skill set to treat disorders of the voice, the fellows will have access to a state-of-the-art laryngeal surgical dissection lab (on the premises), which is equipped with surgical trainers to allow for laryngeal framework procedures and endolaryngeal phonomicrosurgery on cadaveric specimens.

The goals of the mini-fellowship experience at the Emory Voice Center:
The develop independence in evaluation and treatment of patients with voice and swallowing disorders.
The develop skills in endoscopic and open laryngeal surgical procedures.

Fellow Duties

At the Emory Voice Center, the fellow is expected to function in an observational fashion, shadowing the physicians and speech pathologists in the outpatient setting. In this way, they will see patient workups and minor office-based procedures. The fellow will also observe surgical procedures in the operating room with all cases. Since they will be unable to physically participate in the cases due to licensing issues, they are expected to develop a solid skill set in phonomicrosurgical and laryngeal framework procedures in the surgical training laboratory, if they so choose. Fellows will are not have on-call responsibilities.

Fellows are encouraged and welcome to participate in new or ongoing research efforts. Research time is provided in the schedule (see “Schedule” section).

Organization of the Teaching Service

The Emory Voice Center provides the fellows with an excellent exposure to the full spectrum of voice and swallowing disorders, and their medical and surgical management. Through weekly Voice Rounds, clinic-based teaching and progressive responsibility in the operating room based on individual ability, the fellows receive a well-balanced, academic experience.