Faculty and staff from the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) at Harvard Medical School (HMS) celebrated the 2024 graduating class of residents from the Harvard Combined Residency Program in OHNS and fellows on Friday, June 14. Graduating residents and fellows were honored inside the Meltzer Auditorium at Mass Eye and Ear, where they were also joined by current and former trainees and immediate family.
Five chief residents graduated from the program, which is led by HMS Otolaryngology Residency Director Stacey T. Gray, MD, Associate Residency Directors Kevin S. Emerick, MD, Alice Z. Maxfield, MD, and David Jung, MD, PhD, FACS, and Chair of OHNSMark A. Varvares, MD, FACS. Seven fellows graduated from the program at Mass Eye and Ear; four clinical fellows from Boston Children’s Hospital celebrated their graduation on a separate occasion.
Dr. Varvares opened the ceremony by emphasizing that “today is the best day of the year,” a remark repeated throughout the graduation. He expressed his gratitude to the extraordinary mentors who have gone above and beyond to provide the highest level of training. In honor of Mass Eye and Ear’s bicentennial year, he reminded us that the organization was founded to train the future leaders of medicine and reminisced about the legacies who have trained in this program.
“To the class of 2024, we are so proud of what you have accomplished, and we celebrate with you today as you finish one chapter and prepare to start the next of what we are sure will be amazing careers,” said Dr. Varvares.
Shortly after, Dr. Jung introduced Michael J. McKenna, MD, Chief Surgical Officer and Co-Founder of Akouos as the Joseph B. Nadol, Jr., MD, Graduation Lectureship speaker. In 1988, Dr. Mckenna completed his training in the Harvard Combined Residency Program. He subsequently joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School and Mass Eye and Ear, where he developed an exceptional clinical and academic research career for the next 30 years.
In his speech, Dr. Mckenna began by emphasizing that the greatest part of being an academic clinician is witnessing your trainees’ careers grow and develop over time. He talked about the “greats” from Mass Eye and Ear and elsewhere who influenced his career and highlighted the importance of mentors and robust leadership. He shared that all who have trained here are left with a desire and need to train those who follow the same path.
In closing, Dr. Mckenna left the residents with this meaningful note: “Today is a milestone in your lives. From now on, you will be the ones making decisions that impact your patients' lives. You’ll be in the operating room with no one looking over your shoulder, and it might be a little scary at first, but you will grow from that experience. Finally, it’s now your turn to look back and support those who are following in your footsteps. Providing them with encouragement and guidance will be one of the most rewarding things you do in life.”
Prior to graduation, residents met in the Meltzer Auditorium at Mass Eye and Ear on Thursday, June 6, to present the annual Chief Resident Research Talks. The chief resident with the most outstanding presentation is awarded the Jeffrey P. Harris, MD, PhD, Research Award. At a reception and award ceremony hosted at the Boston Museum of Science, Phoebe K. Yu, MD, MPH, was named the recipient of this year's award for his talk on “Postoperative Outcomes in Sleep-Disordered Breathing.”
Additionally, at the reception, four other awards are traditionally presented (full list below). However, this year the Chief Resident Teaching Award was presented by the PGY-4 resident class, with a surprise special announcement. After a challenging year for Dr. Varvares with personal health struggles, his colleagues have renamed and endowed in perpetuity this award to the Mark A. Varvares Chief Resident Teaching Award. The residents shared that through much adversity, he has still managed to show incredible grit, leadership and humility – this renaming was a way for the department to honor him.
The following is a complete list of award recipients from the 2024 graduation reception:
Mark A. Varvares Chief Resident Teaching Award: Michael Wu, MD and Roy Xiao, MD
Fellow Teaching Award: Nicole Jiam, MD
Resident Life Award: Julie Arria
William Montgomery Award: David H. Jung, MD, PhD, FACS
