Department History
As part of one of the first medical colleges in the United States, the Department of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery has a long history of providing excellence in education, research and patient care since its inception in 1878.
- 1878: Department of Ophthalmology & Otology established
- 1887: Laryngology Lecturer added
- 1891: C.M. Thomas, Professor of Ophthalmology & Otology, designated department chair
- 1896: Professor of Ophthalmology, Otology & Laryngology added
- 1936: Charles Hollis named Professor of Laryngology, Rhinology & Otology
- 1936: Frank Nagel named Professor of Ophthalmology
- 1972–1984: John Tucker, MD named Professor and Chair
- 1972–1974: Division of Surgery established
- 1974–1984: Department of Otolaryngology established
- 1985–1995: Robert Wolfson, MD, chair
- 1995–2001: Richard Hayden, MD, chair
- 2001–2006: Robert Wolfson, MD, interim chair
- 2006–Present: Robert Sataloff, MD, DMA, FACS, chair
Our department offers medical students extensive exposure to the specialty, which encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the head and neck, including the ears, nose and sinuses, oral cavity, larynx, pharynx and other disorders elsewhere in the head and neck. State-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical techniques are offered in aesthetic and reconstructive facial plastic surgery, treatment of head and neck neoplasms, the treatment of otologic and skull base disease, care of voice disorders, and in all other subspecialties of otolaryngology.
Learn more about the Department of Otolaryngology
Patient Care
Drexel University College of Medicine does not provide ENT patient care. Clinical care is provided through Philadelphia Ear, Nose and Throat Associates and the practices of other department faculty members. Please visit the websites of our faculty and the chair's website at phillyent.com to access patient and professional educational materials, including our media gallery.
Affiliated Locations and Teaching Centers
Department Divisions
- General otolaryngology
- Otology/neurotology/skull base surgery (including audiology)
- Rhinology/sinusology
- Allergy and immunology
- Cosmetic, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery
- Laryngology/professional voice care (including voice rehabilitation)
- Bronchoesophagology
- Head and neck oncology
- Pediatric otolaryngology
- Dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Education and research
Department Personnel
- 75 faculty
- 42 personnel in the Philadelphia area:
- 26 physicians
- 3 audiologists
- 5 speech-language pathologists/voice team
- 1 nurse/educator/research coordinator
- 7 education and research
Learn more about our faculty
News and Announcements
Triological Society Award
Congratulations to Mary Hawkshaw, RN, research professor and vice chair for academic initiatives in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, on receiving a citation award from the Triological Society. The award was presented by Robert Thayer Sataloff, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, and vice president of the Eastern Section of the Triological Society.
“I’m a doctor — these are 5 things I do to protect my hearing”
A Sept. 16 HuffPost article about ways to protect hearing that quoted Robert Thayer Sataloff, MD, a professor and chair in the College of Medicine, was republished Sept. 22 by BuzzFeed. Excerpts from the article were used in a Sept. 20 New York Post article.
Philadelphia magazine published its annual list of the region's “Top Doctors.” The list of physicians, who were chosen by their peers, can be found in the May 2024 issue. Congratulations to the following Drexel University College of Medicine faculty members who were named this year. Read more.
It’s no secret that growing older can be taxing on the body, and this is no less true during perimenopause, which occurs just before menopause, characterized by a significant drop in mature eggs in the ovaries, irregular ovulation, and plummeting levels of estrogen and the hormone progesterone. This drop in estrogen may play a role in hearing loss and help explain gender differences in hearing loss, according to data recently published by researchers at Drexel’s College of Medicine in the American Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery. Read more.
Congratulations to Drs. Robert T. Sataloff* (Otolaryngology), David A. Zwillenberg* (Pediatric Otolaryngology), Seth Zwillenberg* (Pediatric Otolaryngology), who were named "Top Doctors" in Philadelphia magazine's annual list of the region's best physicians.
*This physician is a non-compensated member of the teaching faculty of Drexel University College of Medicine.
In the Media
February 4, 2025: “A Drexel doctor’s tips to avoid losing your voice at the Super Bowl” The Philadelphia Inquirer
December 29, 2025: Robert Thayer Sataloff, MD, a professor and chair in the College of Medicine, was featured in a HuffPost story about ways to protect hearing.
December 18, 2024: “Voice Doctor to the Stars: Meet Bala Cynwyd’s Robert Sataloff” Main Line Today
April 26, 2024: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, a professor and chair in the College of Medicine, was quoted in an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer about a health scare that threatened to end Jon Bon Jovi's singing career — a story told in a new Hulu series.
April 26, 2024: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, a professor and chair in the College of Medicine, was quoted in a Huffpost article about factors that may contribute to a weaker voice as we age.
See all College of Medicine faculty in the media
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This clinical practice is independent of Drexel University.