The Otolaryngology Residency program at Wake Forest School of Medicine has been widely recognized as a high-quality training experience for decades. This is due in part to our long history of having a faculty with low turnover and a dedication to teaching.

Why Train at Wake Forest?

Preparing a graduate capable of practicing otolaryngology independently requires comprehensive exposure to a wide variety of pathologic processes, time to develop surgical skills, exposure to faculty to emulate strong physician-patient relationships and the ability to competently scrutinize medical literature.

This experience is gained through our complete curriculum, which provides thorough training in clinical medicine and research.

We’ve been training residents since 1947, and we currently take three residents per year. Our diverse graduates pursue careers in private practice or academic medicine, or advance into fellowship training.

Program Director's Welcome

 "Our program is diverse and comprehensive. Having at least one, and usually multiple faculty who are fellowship-trained in all of the major specialties within our field, allows us to expose and train our residents to the full spectrum of Otolaryngology.",


- Brian Downs, MD, Residency Program Director.

Read the full Otolaryngology Residency Director’s welcome message.

Otolaryngology Residency Welcome

Dr. Dale Browne, Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, gives an overview of the program. Topics include: department structure and workload, unique aspects of the residency program such as the continuity care clinic, clinical experiences with faculty and locations, where residents go after residency, information about Wake Forest University and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, and life as a resident.