Group photo of Otolaryngology residents.

ENT residents score #1 in the country on the national otolaryngology training exam

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Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

The Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery is committed to excellence across our three missions of education, research, and patient care. We are a team of passionate people who strive to provide the highest level of work, improving the lives of those we serve and our community. With a strong emphasis on basic science, translational and clinical research, our research facility ranks in the top third of programs nationally for research funding from the National Institutes of Health. We strive to make significant contributions that will improve the quality of health care services for generations to come.

Our resident learners enjoy exceptional training opportunities at UMMC, the state's only academic medical center, offering exposure to a well-balanced case mix and the latest equipment and techniques. Residents develop a strong sense of camaraderie, both at work and after hours, as they train alongside leaders in research, education and clinical care. The department’s nationally recognized divisions of otolaryngology, audiology, speech-language pathology provide a broad spectrum of clinical services for patients of all ages as well as the most comprehensive care in the region. Our commitment is to provide outstanding care along with an excellent customer experience for our patients in every interaction. Learn more about our health care services here.

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Points of Pride

  • Our residents consistently score among the top 5 programs in the country on the American Board of Otolaryngology –Head and Neck Surgery Training Exam.
  • Our resident graduates have a 100% board passage rate.
  • We have matched 9 residents into competitive pediatric otolaryngology, otology, laryngology, and facial plastics and reconstructive surgery fellowships from 2019-2025.
  • Recent NIH research funding places us as high as the top third nationally.
  • Our faculty includes fellowship-trained otolaryngologists in all subspecialties, including divisions of pediatric otolaryngology and head and neck oncology.
  • We have two state-of-the-art clinic locations seeing over 40,000 patients annually and multiple OR sites servicing over 4,500 cases annually.
  • Each year, our department leads philanthropy projects including screenings in under-served communities, community service events in a food pantry and international humanitarian trips.

Message from the Chair, Rick Chandra, MD, MMHC

It is my most sincere honor to serve as chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. First, I must express my deepest gratitude to our recent leadership. Dr. Scott Stringer developed the department from a small division to what it is today and led as chair for 22 years. This period witnessed massive expansion of faculty, many of whom were or became leaders in academic otolaryngology. The department also expanded our influence regionally and nationally in communication sciences and vestibular disease. Since his departure in 2024, we have been under the stewardship of interim chair, Dr. Melissa Scholes, under whom we have continued recruitment and expansion of both the department and medical center.

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Headshot of Dr. Rick Chandra, chair.
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Our History

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Our Faculty

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UMMC Department of Otolaryngology -
Head and Neck Surgery

2500 N. State St.
Jackson, MS 39216-4505
Department Administration: (601) 984-5162
ENT Clinic: (601) 984-5160