Elective Overview
The Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine offers clinical electives for medical students interested in otolaryngology. Clinical elective rotations allow students considering a residency in otolaryngology to assist and learn from faculty and current residents at several of the five hospitals that are part of the Baylor Otolaryngology Residency Program: Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, Ben Taub Hospital, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Texas Children's Hospital, and MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Two-Week Elective
MEOTO-200: This elective is an introduction to clinical Otolaryngology. Students will spend two weeks at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and the Jamail Specialty Clinic working alongside faculty and residents. They will learn about diagnostic investigation and understanding the thought process involved in treatment decisions as well as the basic mechanisms of otolaryngological disease.
Credits: 2.0
Elective Director: Meha Fox, M.D.
Four-Week Elective
MEOTO-503: Current BCM students and visiting students applying through VSLO take this elective. For more regarding visiting student options, please refer to the Visiting Student section below. During the rotation, students will rotate though several sites: Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, and either Ben Taub General Hospital or the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Students will learn to diagnose and treat common diseases of the head and neck region. Each student will be assigned a mentor, who will guide them throughout the four-week experience and assist with their final presentation at the end of the rotation.
Credits: 4.0
Elective Director: Meha Fox, M.D.
MEOTO-511: This elective at MD Anderson offers medical students an introduction to the subspecialty of head and neck surgical oncology. Students will gain hands-on experience in history taking, physical examination, and treatment decision-making as part of comprehensive care for head and neck cancer patients. Under the close supervision of full-time attendings, students will assist in the operating room, providing exposure to surgical techniques. The rotation emphasizes multidisciplinary care, giving students a deeper understanding of the collaborative approach to managing head and neck cancer. If you wish to rotate at MD Anderson, please reach out at least 3 months in advance to allow for a seamless onboarding timeline.
Credits: 4.0
Elective Director: Meha Fox, M.D.
MEOTO512 – Advanced Surgical Anatomy: This four-week elective course is designed for third and fourth year medical students who plan to apply to surgical specialties. MEOTO512 provides a chance to review basic anatomy through focused cadaveric dissection in the anatomy lab. Here students have a chance to develop a more nuanced understanding of specific regions of the human body pertinent to their specialty of interest. The application of anatomic concepts to surgical patient evaluation and treatment are correlated in lectures given by Baylor surgical and radiology faculty. This course features three different “tracks” where students can focus: Head & Neck for those interested in otolaryngology, oral surgery, ophthalmology, and neurosurgery; Visceral for those interested in general surgery specialties, urology, and obstetrics and gynecology; and Musculoskeletal for those interested in orthopedics or plastic surgery.
Course Objectives:
- Integrate foundational anatomic knowledge into the care and management of the surgical patient.
- Understand how anatomic variants and abnormalities influence surgical planning and execution.
- Apply relevant anatomic knowledge to the interpretation of diagnostic imaging.
- Effectively communicate anatomical findings and surgical plans to colleagues.
Credits: 4.0
Elective Director: Angela Haskins, M.D.
Visiting Students
Baylor College of Medicine is accepting visiting students.
Students who are interested in participating in a visiting sub-internship should submit applications through the AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) service. Please review Baylor's Institution Overview on VSLO for important information. Applicants are encouraged to include as much detail as possible regarding their educational achievements (USMLE scores, CV, clerkship grades, etc.). Please note that our sub-internship is classified under the MEOTO-503 elective in VSLO.
All students (Baylor and visiting) MUST follow the Baylor rotation calendar. Students should only apply to blocks if they know that they will be able to attend the full rotation according to Baylor’s academic calendar.
All students (Baylor and visiting) MUST follow the Baylor rotation calendar. Students should only apply to blocks if they know that they will be able to attend the full rotation according to Baylor’s academic calendar.
Visiting medical students may contact the program coordinator, Ellen Fusilier, with your name and preferred rotation dates as advance notice. Other inquiries should be directed to the Office of the Registrar.
All visiting medical students are required to attend Visiting Student Orientation on the first day of the clinical elective rotation. No exceptions. This orientation begins promptly at 9 a.m.