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 neck. State-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical techniques are offered in aesthetic and reconstructive facial plastic surgery, the 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 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
- 70 faculty
- 40 personnel in the Philadelphia area:
- 25 physicians
- 2 audiologists
- 5 speech-language pathologists/voice team
- 1 nurse/educator/research coordinator
- 7 education and research
Learn more about our faculty
News and Announcements
Congratulations to Drs. Robert T. Sataloff* (Otolaryngology) and David A. Zwillenberg* (Pediatric Otolaryngology), who were named "Top Doctors" in Philadelphia magazine's annual list of the region's best physicians. (May 6, 2019)
*This physician is a non-compensated member of the teaching faculty of Drexel University College of Medicine.
In the Media
March 12, 2020: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, was mentioned in a Variety article about Shania Twain nearly losing her voice after a Lyme disease diagnosis in 2003. The article was covered by several outlets.
September 27, 2019: Robert Sataloff, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and senior associate dean for clinical academic specialties, was quoted in a Slate story about remedies that could help to clear out mucus in the mouth and throat.
September 16, 2019: Robert Sataloff, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and senior associate dean for clinical academic specialties, was interviewed in a Monthly Prescribing Reference "Right Dose of Information" blog post about whether or not aging physicians should be required to undergo cognitive testing to continue practicing.
July 26, 2018: A study by Robert Sataloff, MD, a professor in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, which found that voice quality can affect your career and earning potential, was mentioned in a Reader’s Digest story.
March 7, 2018: Robert Sataloff, MD, a professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, and Seth Zwillenberg, MD, a clinical associate professor of pediatrics and otolaryngology, were quoted in a Philly Voice story about problems associated with using over-the-counter nasal sprays.
November 21, 2017: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, was quoted in a Live Science story about how opera singers are able to hit extremely high notes.
August 23, 2017: Garth Ehrlich, PhD, professor in the Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, was quoted in a Philadelphia Inquirer story about a project his lab is undertaking to collect ticks from the public and use advanced gene sequencing techniques to study their microbiomes. Dr. Ehrlich’s research study was also quoted in a KYW-Newsradio (1060-AM) on August 26.
May 19, 2017: A Bucks County Courier Times article about the difficulty in diagnosing and treating Lyme disease, which quoted Garth Ehrlich, PhD, a professor in the Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, and Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, was picked up by WCAU-TV (NBC-10)'s website.
May 12, 2017: Garth Ehrlich, PhD, a professor in the Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, was quoted in a Bucks County Courier Times story about the difficulty in diagnosing and treating Lyme disease.
May 5, 2017: Robert Thayer Sataloff, MD, professor and chair of otolaryngology, was mentioned in a post on UltimateGuitar.com about whether vocal surgery can help singers.
July 15, 2016: Garth Ehrlich, PhD, a professor in the Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, and Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, was quoted in a Huffington Post story about how the bacteria that causes Lyme disease can linger in the body and cause other illnesses.
See all College of Medicine faculty in the media
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This clinical practice is independent of Drexel University.