Brief History of the Department

In 1954, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine expanded from a two-year pre-clinical school to a four-year school, adding new clinical departments. Dr. Newton D. Fischer, the first Division Chief, trained at Johns Hopkins Medical Center and started the residency program in Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery in 1958, initially with a single resident. The program grew substantially as faculty added breadth and depth and as the field expanded.

Harold C. Pillsbury III, MD, who trained at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, returned from Yale in 1985 and took over the role of chief shortly thereafter. Under Dr. Pillsbury’s direction, the Division of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery became a department in 2001. Through 2010, we have had 108 residents graduate from our residency program. We currently have 18 full-time clinicians and 6 full-time research scientists, and 1 part-time research scientist. Over the years, our Department has had a high number of graduating residents continue their careers in academic medicine, 9 of which continue to serve and educate our residents, patients and the community through the Department. Our program has a strong 50-year history and continues to represent all subspecialty areas in Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery.