Message from the Chair
The year 2025 marks a milestone in many ways. Personally, it marked my first full year as chair of the UAB Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, a role I have been honored to serve in. It was a fortuitous time to join this inspiring team of clinicians, researchers, trainees, and staff members, as 2025 also marks the 10th anniversary of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery as a department at UAB. From the origins of ear, nose, and throat care at UAB, starting in the 1980s with Drs. J.J. and J.N. Hicks, to the expansion of the department under leaders like Dr. Glenn Peters, Dr. Eben Rosenthal, and Dr. William Carroll, to now, we have no shortage of achievements to celebrate as a department – and we are still growing.
Throughout the pages of this 10th anniversary edition of our annual report, we’ve highlighted the history that served as the building blocks for the department as we know it today. This includes a closer look at the department’s origins, spotlights on department alumni we’ve worked with over the years, and tributes to department members we’ve lost too soon.
You’ll meet the faculty that makes the UAB Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery a premier destination for otolaryngologic care – one that was recently named one of the top 25 sites for otolaryngologic care in the country. We’ve been fortunate to welcome several new faculty members from 2024-2025, and we are confident their expertise will only bolster that status.
In addition, we are telling the stories behind the efforts that make up our mission areas—quality patient care, groundbreaking research, and unmatched education in our field. From one-of-a-kind clinical programs to enhanced research facilities to residents and fellows eager to learn, these stories reflect our motivation to not only support these key areas, but to keep improving them.
Our department's story has a rich history, but it is also just beginning! Join us in celebrating 10 years of the UAB Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery and looking forward to what’s to come.
Sincerely,
Justin H. Turner, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
John S. Odess Endowed Chair
UAB Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
Read the 2025 UAB Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Year in Review
View the interactive reportFeatured Stories
10 years of UAB Otolaryngology: A legacy of leadership and care
October 2025 marked the 10th anniversary of the UAB Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, which became the 26th department in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine in October 2015.
Peters reflects on a lifetime of growth, discovery, and leadership in otolaryngology
Glenn Peters, M.D., professor emeritus in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, reflects on a long career marked by leadership roles, mentorship, and the continued success of the department.
20 UAB Otolaryngology providers recognized for exceptional patient care during FY25
Twenty providers in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery were recently recognized by the UAB Office of Patient Experience and Engagement for the exceptional care they delivered to patients during fiscal year 2025. These providers achieved a rating of 95 percent or higher in care satisfaction, based on patient feedback in Medallia.
New 3,400-square-foot research space for Department of Otolaryngology facilitates study of sinus disease treatment through precision immunology
Researchers in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology recently occupied a new, 3,400-square-foot lab space in the newly renovated McCallum Basic Health Science Building. Renovations to the McCallum Building involved revitalizing the historic building, creating more modern and collaborative research spaces, with floors three through nine dedicated to departments in the Heersink School of Medicine.
Read more 2025 department news stories