Tony - In his 20’s, Tony was playing guitar in a rock band and assumed that his hearing loss was due to exposure to loud music. By his mid-30s, Tony’s hearing had deteriorated and became a concern. He was a surfer, living in Hawaii, and assumed that increased hearing loss was a result of chronic “surfer’s ear” - a condition of the ear canal where lumps develop on the bony lining under the skin, eventually causing blockage of the ear canal. <NEUROTOLOGY CLINICAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Duration and Scope of Education
Program, Personnel and Resources
Body of Knowledge for the Subspeciality of Neurotology
Conference and Lecture Schedule
Fellowship Alumni
Fellowship Application
The neurotology lateral skull base surgery program at House
Clinic provides advanced education beyond that afforded in
the otolaryngology residency in the diagnosis and management
of disorders of the temporal bone, lateral skull base, and
related anatomical structures. Surgery of the lateral skull
base that involves the mesial aspect of the dura or
intradural structure requires the joint effort of a
neurotology and neurological surgery team. A 24-month
educational program ensures that concentrated time is
available for the neurotology fellow to develop advanced
diagnostic expertise and advanced medical and surgical
management skills for the care of diseases and disorders of
the petrous apex, infratemporal fossa, internal auditory
canals, cranial nerves (e.g., vestibular nerve section and
joint neurosurgical-neurotological resection of intradural
VIII nerve tumors), and lateral skull base, including the
occipital bone, sphenoid bone, and temporal bone. This
advanced education is required so that the neurotology
fellow may develop expertise with extradural skull base
approaches. The fellow will learn to manage postoperative
care of lateral skull base surgery patients. This advanced
education is necessary for fellows to gain expertise in the
joint collaborative management of patients undergoing
lateral skull base surgery. The program will also permit
exposure to new research opportunities and time to explore
new research ideas.
Each year between thirty and forty physicians apply to the
Fellowship Program under the direction of William H.
Slattery, M.D. Two applicants are selected each year and
spend two years studying with the otologists of the House
Clinic. This program is accredited by the ACGME and allows
the individual who finishes the fellowship to apply for
board certification in neurotology.
Click on a panel below to learn about the qualifications and current fellows.
The two-year program requires a current and valid California medical license, post match after acceptance to the Clinical Fellowship Program. Fellows actively participate in the care of Neurotology patients and assist the House Ear Clinic physicians in the management of complex neurotologic disorders.
Mark is currently completing his second year of fellowship training after an otolaryngology residency at the University of Michigan. His wife, Kelly Lorenz, is an ophthalmologist in Pasadena. They have a three-year old daughter, Genevieve.
He triple-majored at Notre Dame, prior to graduating with distinction from the Ohio State University College of Medicine. Soon, he will be going to Nepal on a humanitarian trip, performing ear surgery in the southwestern Terai province. He enjoys reading, photography, woodworking, and is an aquarium enthusiast.
Michael Hoa, M.D. 2010-2012
With strong interests in both clinical practice and research, Michael Hoa, M.D., has the unique distinction of being the first physician to be accepted to both our Neurotology Clinical Fellowship Program and the joint USC-House Research Institute Hearing and Communication Neuroscience Research Training Program.
Michael started his clinical fellowship training at the House Clinic in July 2010. At the same time, he became engaged in research scholarship studies in the Institute's Lab of Cell Cycle, Growth and Differentiation as part of the USC-HRI Hearing and Communication Neuroscience Research Training Program, sponsored under an NIH T32 training grant.
Michael received his undergraduate degree in Medical Science from Boston University. He completed medical school at the Boston University School of Medicine and his residency at Wayne State University.
Elina Kari, M.D. 2011-2013
Elina joins us from Atlanta, GA, where she completed her residency at the Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. She holds a B.A. degree in Latin American Studies from U.C. Berkeley, and graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School. Elina's research interests are in neuronal preservation and clinical outcomes research in cochlear implant patients, as well as comparative effectiveness research in hearing rehabilitation and its impact on practice guidelines. Her future career plans include an academic practice with involvement in resident training. She holds citizenships in the USA, Brazil and Finland.
Adam M. Cassis, M.D. 2011-2013
Adam joins us from West Virginia. He received his B.S. in Biology from Roanoke College in Salem, VA, graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the West Virginia University Department of Otolaryngology. His research interest is gentamicin ototoxicity and developing treatment strategies for ototopical gentamicin for Menieres disease. Upon completion of his fellowship, Adam plans to return to West Virginia University to join the Department of Otolaryngology to practice in an academic setting.
Contact Information:
Professional Education Department
2100 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 483-4431
