A new academic department for ear, nose, throat, head, and neck care in Arizona.

The Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix was established in 2026 as the academic home for otolaryngology – head and neck surgery in the Phoenix metropolitan area. We practice in partnership with Banner Health, Arizona's largest health system and the leading health system in the five-million-person Phoenix metropolitan area. We also have academic partnerships with Barrow Neurological Institute and the Phoenix VA Health Care System, bringing together subspecialty surgeons across five clinical campuses.

The department has three commitments: subspecialty care for children and adults across the Valley; an otolaryngology residency program, with an inaugural class planned for July 2027; and a research program, supported by the National Institutes of Health, that brings neuroimaging, genetics, and artificial intelligence to the problems we see in clinic.

A message from the chair

"Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, and until now it has not had an academic otolaryngology department of its own. We are building one from the ground up: recruiting subspecialists, opening clinics, launching a residency, and bringing here a research program that asks how the ear, nose, throat, and airway shape the developing brain. Whether you are a patient, a referring physician, a student, or a surgeon thinking about joining us, we are glad you are here."

— Amal Isaiah, MD, PhD, MBA, Professor and Chair

Clinical care

Our affiliated faculty cover the full breadth of the specialty. Each service is anchored at a Banner Health, Barrow, or VA campus, and patients are seen within the same network for imaging, oncology, neurosurgery, audiology, and speech-language pathology.

Pediatric Otolaryngology

Airway disorders and tracheostomy care, sleep-disordered breathing, ear and hearing conditions, tonsil and adenoid surgery, and congenital head and neck masses, led by surgeons board-certified in complex pediatric otolaryngology.

Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction

Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, thyroid, salivary glands, and skin of the head and neck, with transoral robotic surgery, free-flap reconstruction, and a weekly multidisciplinary tumor board.

Otology, Neurotology, and Lateral Skull Base Surgery

Hearing loss and cochlear implantation, auditory brainstem implants, bone conduction devices, chronic ear disease, acoustic neuroma, and lateral skull base tumors, including Gamma Knife radiosurgery.

Rhinology and Anterior Skull Base Surgery

Chronic sinus disease, sinonasal tumors, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and endoscopic skull base surgery performed jointly with neurosurgery.

Laryngology and Voice

Voice, swallowing, and airway disorders with videostroboscopy and office-based procedures, supported by speech-language pathologists in voice and swallowing.

Sleep Surgery

Surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in children and adults, from adenotonsillectomy to hypoglossal nerve stimulation, as a single destination for patients and referring sleep physicians.

Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Facial Trauma

Rhinoplasty, facial reanimation, and reconstruction after cancer or injury; facial trauma at Arizona's Level I trauma center in partnership with oral and maxillofacial surgery and plastic surgery. Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.

General Otolaryngology

Comprehensive ear, nose, and throat care for adults at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, the Phoenix VA Health Care System, and community practices affiliated with the department.

Hearing, Balance, and Speech-Language Pathology

Audiology for all ages, including newborn and pediatric testing, cochlear implant programming, and bone-anchored devices at Banner Children's at Desert, Barrow, and the Phoenix VA; speech-language pathology for voice, swallowing, and alaryngeal speech at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and Banner MD Anderson.

Where our faculty practice

• Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix — 1111 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006
• Banner Children's at Desert — 1400 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, AZ 85202
• Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center — 2946 E. Banner Gateway Drive, Gilbert, AZ 85295
• Phoenix VA Health Care System — 650 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85012
• Barrow Neurological Institute — 350 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ 85013
• Banner Health Center Plus, Scottsdale — 8901 E Raintree Dr Ste 150, Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Education

Residency

The planned Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Residency Program at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix is a five-year program designed around the 2026 ACGME requirements. Residents rotate through five training sites, take protected research time, and train as the primary otolaryngology learners on every service. The program has applied for ACGME accreditation; a decision is expected in January 2027, with the inaugural class planned for July 2027.

Medical students

College of Medicine – Phoenix students rotate with our faculty during the surgery clerkship and in fourth-year otolaryngology electives at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and Banner MD Anderson. A student-led otolaryngology research group is forming in the 2026–27 academic year, and the department welcomes students into its research program from the first year.

Continuing education

Department Grand Rounds and the weekly Core Curriculum Conference are open to community otolaryngologists and allied professionals.

Research

The department's research program, led by Dr. Isaiah, studies how sleep-disordered breathing and the upper airway shape the developing brain, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, genomics, and deep learning. The lab holds NIH R01 funding and collaborates with the Department of Translational Neurosciences on the genetics and biology of hearing.

Join us

We are recruiting general and fellowship-trained faculty, as well as audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Positions carry University of Arizona faculty appointments, academic start-up support, and, for mid-career surgeons, vice chair and division leadership roles with protected time. To start a conversation, contact the chair's office through the Contact page.