Department of Otolaryngology

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.

Department Timeline

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

“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

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.

July 12, 2023: A study by Robert T. Sataloff, MD, professor and chair in the Department of Otolaryngology, was cited in an MSN "The Healthy" post listing little-known facts about voices.

April 20, 2023: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, professor and chair in the Department of Otolaryngology, was mentioned in an article in Reader’s Digest’s “The Healthy” about surprising facts about the human voice.

March 4, 2023: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, professor and chair in the Department of Otolaryngology, was quoted in a Buzzfeed News article about COVID-19 causing hearing loss.

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