What do you see as the priorities of the Nominating Committee in selecting the future leaders of our Academy?
Future AAO-HNS Leadership must recognize and address evolving trends in membership as the next generation of Otolaryngologists is more and more likely to self-identify themselves as subspecialists. The future leaders of the AAO-HNS must understand what will always be the heart of Otolaryngology practice – the general Otolaryngologist – but also recognize that the nature of the membership is changing.
Otolaryngology program graduates (naturally the largest growth area for AAO-HNS membership) are increasingly likely to pursue fellowship training and enter group practices as their designated “ear” person or “nose” specialist. Already happened in your practice? Or the practice down the street? The AAO-HNS will be affected by this trend: our capacity for patient and practice advocacy depends on preserving meeting and membership revenue. The budget choices made by leadership will reflect the needs and demands of paying members. If the growing group of self-identified subspecialists loses the sense of connection to the AAO-HNS as a group, our power to make the positive impact as outlined in our mission will be compromised.
As a member of the Nominating Committee, I will use my experience connecting with thousands of members in practices all over the USA to help keep all members in mind while submitting names for election.
ALBERT L. MERATI, MD
CANDIDATE FOR
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Name Al Merati, M.D.
I love being an Otolaryngologist – I am confident that the overwhelming majority of you do as well. We have the remarkable privilege of being physicians/surgeons to our fellow Americans in one of the most enjoyable and rewarding practices within the greater house of medicine. I believe in what we do and - despite the headaches and heartaches we face in our practices – I know there is high level of passion among Otolaryngologists everywhere to deliver quality, responsible, and innovative care to our patients.
My professional pathway has taken me from my native Pacific Northwest through California, Tennessee, Kansas/Missouri and finally Wisconsin before returning home to Seattle in 2007 to take the job I always wanted at the University of Washington. I believe this long and rewarding road offers me a special perspective in serving the AAO-HNS membership. I have seen
Otolaryngology practiced in 100 different ways by 1,000 different Otolaryngologists in dozens of states. I am first and last a clinician and have earned a reputation of clinical accessibility for our colleagues in all the wonderful community practices that are the absolute heart of our specialty. This has put me in a position to know and be sensitive to the special challenges (and joys) that my private practice colleagues face – not just in my community but all over the country. Combining this with the experience of working within 5 major academic training centers over the past 22 years gives me the foundation to know and understand the breadth and depth of our field as it stands today.
I have served on numerous AAO-HNS committees as a member and consultant since 2000 and have Chaired several different committees within the AAO-HNS from 2006-2013. I am not shy about asking for advice and input; furthermore I have the will to move a position forward if I believe it represents the mission that I am serving, in this case, to the benefit of the AAO-HNS membership.
Like the other honorable candidates for the Nominating Committee of the AAO-HNS, I will uphold my word to adhere to bylaws, deadlines, and to think about positive, problem solving solutions to the duties we are given –providing a top-notch slate of candidates for leadership to both represent and lead us - both you and me – into Otolaryngology's next decade and beyond. On the personal side, when I am not speaking passionately about Otolaryngology, I am usually playing too much poker and too little guitar. My three favorite people in the whole world are my wife Jenny, my little dude Solomon (born 2009) and our new arrival Rose (born 2013). I owe my professional career success to the foundations laid down in medical school with Charlie Cummings and Ernie Weymuller (who serves to this day as my career adviser here at UW), Jeff Harris at UCSD, my first partners Doug Girod and Terry Tsue, and above all my dear mentor Robert Ossoff and my beloved guardian angel, cutman, and advocate Bob Toohill from Milwaukee. How lucky I have been!
Nominees must use this template for submission to the Nominating Committee. CVs must not exceed 3 pages. 2014
CURRICULUM VITAE
Date December 4, 2013
Name Albert Lincoln Merati
Current Employment Professor, University of Washington School of Medicine
Department of Otolaryngology - HNS
Place of Birth Chicago, IL USA
Education: Dates Degree Graduation
University of Washington 1982-7 BA, with honors 1987
University of Washington 1987-91 MD, with honors 1991
Residency and Fellowship
University of California, San Diego 1991-2 General Surgery Internship University of California, San Diego 1992-7 Otolaryngology – HNS Residency Vanderbilt Voice Center, Nashville 1997-8 Laryngology Fellowship
Specialty: Laryngology, Broncho-Esophagology Licensure and Certification
ABO #15383 4/10/98 (no expiration date)
Washington MD00047950 4/20/07 2/12/14
Previous Employment
7/97-6/98 Instructor, Department of Otolaryngology –Head and Neck Surgery Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
8/98-7/01 Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS
7/01-7/04 Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
7/04- 6/07 Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
7/07-6/11 Associate Professor, Chief of Laryngology, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
7/08-present Adjunct Associate Professor, Speech and Hearing Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
7/11-present Professor, Chief of Laryngology, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
Memberships and Offices Held /Academy and other societies Membership:
1990-present Alpha Omega Alpha
1992-present American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery 1999-present Society of University Otolaryngologists
2003-2007 European Laryngological Society
2003-present American Broncho-Esophagological Association 2004-present Fellow, American College of Surgeons
2006-present Fellow, Triological Society
2007-present Fellow, American Laryngological Association 2007-present International Association of Phonosurgeons 2009-present Dysphagia Research Society
Leadership:
2000-2006 Neurolaryngology Subcommittee, American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
2000-2006 Self-Instructional Package Committee, American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
2005-2009 Scientific Advisory Board, Voice Foundation
2006-2008 Chair, Neurolaryngology Subcommittee, American
Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery 2008-2011 Chair, Airway and Swallowing Committee, American
Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
2008 Program Committee, American Laryngological Association
2009 Program Committee, Western Section, Triological Society
2009-2011 ALA Liason to AAO-HNS Voice Committee (Appointed)
2009-2010 Guest Examiner, American Board of Otolaryngology
2009-2012 Membership Committee, ALA (Appointed)
2010- Pharyngo-Esophageal Committee, ABEA
2011-2012 Program Committee, Combined Trio Sections Meeting, Miami January 2012
2011 Chair, Membership Committee, ALA
2011- ABEA Council as SSAC Representative
2011-2012 Chair-Elect, SSAC
2012-2013 Chair, SSAC
2012-present Senior Examiner, American Board of Otolaryngology Honor/Awards
1990 Alpha Omega Alpha
1991 James Haviland Award, University of Washington School of Medicine (“The James W. Haviland Award for clinical excellence is presented to that graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding clinical competence and who holds unusual promise as a leader of medicine in the future”)
1995 Housestaff Teaching Award (Honorable Mention), University of California at San Diego School of Medicine
1996 Housestaff Teaching Award, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine
1997 Department of Surgery Teaching Award, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine
1997 Department of Medicine “Golden Flea” Award (most outstanding surgical consultant), University of California at San Diego
2000 "Top Doc" Honorable Mention, Kansas University Medical Center 2001 "Top Doc" Award, Kansas University Medical Center
Nominees must use this template for submission to the Nominating Committee. CVs must not exceed 3 pages. 2014
2005 Honor Award, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and
Neck Surgery
2006 Outstanding Service Award, Wisconsin State Speech and Hearing
Association
2005-2013 Best Doctors in America ® (peer election)
2007-present Honorary Member, Panamanian Otolaryngology Society
2008 Distinguished Service Award, American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head
and Neck Surgery Community Service
President, Greater Milwaukee Voice Foundation, 2004-7
Founder and chapter president Northwest Voice Foundation 2007-present Regional/Local Hospital Participation
Privileges:
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 7/1997-6/1998 Nashville VA Medical Center, Nashville, TN 9/1997-6/1998 Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 8/1998-7/2001 Kansas City VA Medical Center, Kansas City, MO 8/1998-7/2001
Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, MO 8/1998-7/2001
Childrens’ Mercy Medical Center, Kansas City, MO 1/1999-7/2001 Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, Milwaukee, WI 8/2001-6/2007
Zablocki VAMC, Milwaukee, WI 7/2001 – 6/2007
Childrens’ Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 11/2001- 6/2007 University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 7/2007 – present
Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA 7/2007 – present
Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Seattle, WA 11/2007-present
Seattle VAMC 2007 – present
Chief, Laryngology Service UW Medical Center, Seattle 7/2007-present Hosptial-based Committees:
1998-1999 Physician Liaison Committee, KU Medical Center
2000 Risk Management Committee, KU Medical Center
2000-2001 Medical Staff Representative (elected), KU Medical Center 2000-2001 Medical Staff Executive Committee, KU Medical Center
2009- UWMC OR Otolaryngology Specialty Leadership Team
2011- Emergency Airway Multidisciplinary Team
Summation of Published Works Within the Specialty 92 peer-reviewed publications as of December 2013 Two books as editor, one SIPac for the AAOHNS 17 book chapters