APP Fellowship Program for General O-HNS

Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship

The Vanderbilt University Medical Center Department of Otolaryngology– Head and Neck Surgery (O-HNS) Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship is an intensive 12-month advanced training program that begins in January each year.

The goal of the fellowship is to help the fellow grow and develop the medical and critical thinking skills required to build a successful career as an APP in Otolaryngology. This fellowship program offers the APP the opportunity to further learn, refine, integrate, and implement the APP role in O-HNS. The focus of this fellowship is on general O-HNS history, physical exam, diagnosis, management, and intervention in common O-HNS conditions across the lifespan. This also prepares the APP for collaborating with O-HNS surgeons, O-HNS APPs, audiologists, and speech pathologists in the management of these conditions.

Seventy-five percent of the fellowship is spent in clinical settings with different O-HNS subspecialties such as head and neck surgery, facial plastics and reconstructive surgery, sleep surgery, rhinology, otology and neurotology, pediatrics and general O-HNS clinic while consolidating the skills acquired from the didactic content of the course. The fellow is expected to demonstrate increasingly proficient clinical abilities that are well-grounded in research and theory.

Twenty-five percent of the program is concentrated on didactics, research or quality improvement (QI) projects, as well as professional and leadership development. The fellow is expected to complete and present research or a QI project at the end of the program. The fellow will function collaboratively with other healthcare professionals in a clinical setting and will be expected to demonstrate increasing independence in the APP-OHNS role, with preceptor consultation.

 

  • 2023 was our first cohort of the fellowship program. We are currently applying for accreditation through the Advanced Practice Provider Fellowships Accreditation (APPFA) organization.

     

    Credential Awarded

    Certificate of completion issued by the Department of Otolaryngology– Head and Neck Surgery signed by the Chairman of the department and the O-HNS fellowship directors.

  • Fellow will spend time in ongoing learning activities, particularly in clinical care. During the program, you will gain experience in patient prep and develop procedural competencies such as:

    • Basic ear, nose, and throat exam
    • Diagnosis and management of common ear, nose, and throat conditions
    • Understand and interpret sleep studies.
    • Understand and interpret audiograms.
    • Understand and interpret balance function testing.
    • Understand and interpret basic CT (Computed Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) imaging.
    • Perform procedures such as flexible laryngoscopy, nasal endoscopies, removal of foreign bodies, etc.

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    Fellow will also develop knowledge of ear, nose and sinus, pharyngeal and oral cavity, laryngeal and neck pathologies; thyroid and salivary gland, speech, and swallowing disorders; and airway and laryngectomy management.

     

    Didactic Curriculum

    The didactic curriculum will include educational sessions with the faculty, APPs, residents, medical students, and any rotating APP students. Fellow is expected to attend Friday Grand Rounds, and relevant resident and APP lectures and conferences. The fellow is also expected to participate in Leadership Excellence for Advance Practice (LEAP!) program and any other requirements set forth by the Office of Advanced Practice. 

    Research Project: Fellow is expected to complete a project at the end of the program that will be submitted either to a journal or academic organization or present a poster at Nursing Research Day.

     

    Clinical Curriculum

    The clinical curriculum is integrated within the didactic curriculum with exposure to outpatient management, some in-patient and the operating room.

    The fellow will concentrate on clinical experiences, participating in 32 clinical hours per week with seasoned preceptors in general O-HNS and subspecialties that offer concentrated focus on role development and application of content. The fellow will perform focused patient histories, present patients, perform head and neck physical exams, perform O-HNS procedures, order appropriate diagnostic studies, interpret radiographic studies, formulate differential diagnoses, apply appropriate pharmacotherapy, make referrals for surgery or other consultations, implement the plan of care, give educational presentations, and manage inpatients with otolaryngological disorders and post-operative from head and neck surgery.

  • The fellow will rotate in the following clinics: General O-HNS, Otology/ Neurotology, Rhinology, Pediatric O-HNS, Laryngology, Head and Neck, Facial Plastics, and Sleep; after which, will have independent clinics in both General O-HNS and Pediatric O-HNS. The fellow will also collaborate with audiologists, speech pathologists, physical therapists, feeding therapists, and other allied health professionals.

     

    Supervision

    Fellow will be mentored by the attending physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. There will monthly meetings with the APP Fellowship Program Director and service line clinical coordinators  to review procedure logs, clinic attendance, and feedback from faculty.

  • To be considered for admission to the General Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery APP Fellowship Program, candidates must meet the following requirements:

    • Graduate of an accredited master's degree nurse practitioner or physician assistant program.
    • Eligible to pass (or have passed) the ANCC or AANP certification for nurse practitioners or NCCPA certification for physician assistants.
    • Must obtain a nurse practitioner or physician assistant license in the state of Tennessee once admitted to the program.
    • Personal interview
    • Candidates invited to participate in on-campus interviews

  • Applications for 2025 are now being accepted

    Applications to the General Otolaryngology– Head and Neck Surgery Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship will include:

    • A recent copy of your curriculum vitae (CV)/resume (including school name and GPA)
    • A brief personal statement describing your interest in pursuing a career in Otolaryngology (500 to 1,000 words)
    • Three letters of reference on letterhead
      • These can be submitted with our other application materials or directly by your references to 
      • If you are currently enrolled in a nurse practitioner or physician assistant master's degree program, one must be from your program or medical director.

    When diverse students and faculty come together, amazing things happen! We value all candidates, regardless of background, and welcome any well-qualified minority, woman, disabled, veteran, or LGBTQIA+ to apply. 

     

    Note: All materials must be received to be considered for an initial phone or virtual interview.

    For all applications and questions, please contact Lynn Ethridge.

  • Madona Kozman, APRN, FNP-BC

    Madona is the inaugural fellow of the O-HNS APP Fellowship program. She moved from Egypt to the U.S. in 2014 and is fluent in Arabic and English. She graduated from the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Vanderbilt University in August 2023. She enjoys playing volleyball and board games with family and friends, traveling with her husband and cooking.