Why UTMB?

1. Emphasis on resident wellness:
   Here at UTMB, we take pride in our emphasis on resident wellness through initiatives such as our Second Mountain program. Department funds are allocated toward contributing to residents’ Second Mountain to alleviate any financial burdens in the way of achieving their goals. The faculty here take a genuine interest in the well-being of the residents, an invaluable aspect of a sometimes difficult training program.
   
   
2. Wide breadth of surgical cases:
   With exposure to a wide variety of cases in the TDC, faculty in all subspecialties within otolaryngology, outside rotations at Methodist and MD Anderson Hospitals, residents at UTMB can expect to gain a wide breadth of experience spanning all major subspecialties. Residents consistently achieve their required case numbers without difficulty, and all graduates can expect to leave with a high degree of surgical competency.
   
   
3. TDCJ Hospital:
   A treasure of a rotation, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hospital offers perhaps the most unique experience a budding otolaryngologist can have in his or her training. UTMB has the unique opportunity to provide correctional care to Texas state prisoners with a catchment spanning nearly the entire state. Residents are exposed to diverse pathology, and often this rotation is where surgical skills are truly honed.
   
   
4. Early operative experience:
   Our department takes pride in a longstanding tradition of early operative experience. Interns complete 4 months of Pediatric Otolaryngology under Dr. Pine, Dr. Szeremeta, and Dr. Daram. Our residents have consistently performed over 200 operations as the primary surgeon during those four months. Along with 2 months of Head and Neck experience, interns are granted the immediate opportunity to operate.
   
   
5. Support for conferences and courses:
   Our rule here is if you did the work, you get to present the project. Every year our residents often attend several national meetings, conferences, and courses as part of their research and education. Department funds are allocated to support residents in their travel and presentation of research.
   
   

Life in Galveston

Galveston, Texas is a tourism-centric beach town on an island in southeast Texas offering one of the most unique locations for a residency program in the country. Part of being a city built for tourism means having amazing food and lots of fun things to do. During the summers, Galveston tends to be busy with lots of tourists from all over the region who travel here for our beaches. In the wintertime, the island becomes less crowded and the beaches colder, but there is never a lack of fun activities. Galveston holds the second largest organized Mardi Gras event in the country every February. Along with other marquee events such as the Lone Star Rally and Dickens on the Strand, Galveston offers year-round excitement for residents to partake in during their free time. Some other activities our residents enjoy include running on the seawall, fishing, visiting the Pleasure Pier, Moody Gardens, Art Walk on the Strand, and relaxing at the beach. If you still need more, Houston and all the amenities are within a one hour drive, which means that life in Galveston truly offers access to any and every activity outside of residency one could want, all while being located on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.