We are dedicated to advancing the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery through pioneering research, comprehensive surgical training and exceptional clinical care.
In 1930, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Oto-HNS) was added as a division within the University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery. In 2025, after decades of growth and achievement, the division became an independent department within the School of Medicine and Public Health.
Oto-HNS includes seven divisions: otology and neurotology, laryngology, pediatric otolaryngology, comprehensive otolaryngology, rhinology and skull base surgery, head and neck oncologic surgery, and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. We provide a full range of state-of-the-art specialized care for adults and children at six clinical practice sites in the Madison area, and six outreach sites across Wisconsin and Illinois. Our team of nationally and internationally renowned faculty and residents prioritizes a collaborative culture, engaging with specialists across our practice sites and throughout campus.
The department offers the highest quality of education to a large variety of learners, providing training to well over 100 individuals each year through clinical rotations, extramurally funded traineeships, externships and more.
Meet the Chair: Sandra Lin, MD

Welcome to Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Wisconsin! As one of the leading academic otolaryngology programs in the country, we push the boundaries of research and surgical training while providing cutting-edge clinical care. At the same time, we prioritize the wellness of our team members and are committed to moving diversity, equity and inclusion forward in our program and our field.
Pioneering research is a priority: Our department supports independent labs with full-time and shared federally funded research programs. These programs address basic, clinical, translational and health-services questions. Our department has 29 funded extramural grants, and our researchers are principal investigators on collaborative interdisciplinary research projects, including an NIH Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) conducting clinical trials with patients with head and neck cancer, and a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), improving cancer care-related dysphagia. We continue to grow as we actively recruit more surgeon scientists.
We are dedicated to teaching future otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons to provide exemplary care and outstanding surgical outcomes to their patients. We pride ourselves on the quality of surgical education we offer our trainees, with nine educational courses offered each year for our residents and an accredited global surgery rotation. In addition to a highly successful residency program, we offer fellowships in head and neck oncologic and microvascular reconstructive surgery as well as laryngology, and an NIH-funded voice research training program. We view education as a responsibility as well as a privilege. We are immensely proud of the caliber of our trainees.
Equity and Diversity
The Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is committed to the mission, vision and values of UW Health and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity and innovation for UW–Madison. The university fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background who serve Wisconsin and the world. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities and opinion enrich the university community. We pursue excellence in teaching, research, outreach and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
Commitment to Anti-Racism
We are committed to anti-racism in all we do. We recognize that the marginalization of vulnerable communities contributes directly and tragically to health inequity and acknowledge that the persistence of systemic racism is antithetical to our mission to provide the best care for our patients and communities. We solemnly acknowledge the violence disproportionately affecting communities of color and firmly denounce these acts and all forms of institutional racism. We advocate for a diverse and inclusive community within our department and see this commitment as foundational to fulfilling our mission in our clinics, offices, classrooms, hospitals and operating rooms.