Individuals with exceptional qualifications who aspire to thrive in the areas articulated by our mission and philosophy are invited to apply.
Application to this program (as well as other Otolaryngology programs in the United States) is made through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) through ERAS, a centralized electronic application service that distributes your online application and supporting documents to residency programs.
Application deadline: annually on October 1.
Interview dates: annually on 1st and 2nd Thursdays in December. Invitations to interview will be sent by email the second week of October. Interviews are scheduled on a first-come first-serve basis, with a wait list after they are filled.
Residents in our program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow Resident to legally train at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. The Department follows GME requirements for application. More information on GME application requirements can be found at:
Required Application Materials
- All of the following are due by the application deadline
- Common application form
- Personal statement
- Medical school transcript
- MSPE/Dean’s Letter (to be submitted as soon as it becomes available)
- No more than four letters of recommendation (minimum of three letters)
- Photograph
- USMLE transcripts
- Additional Requirements for international medical graduates:
- ECFMG Status Report
The University of Colorado’s program matches the PGY1 year directly into the Department of Otolaryngology. The majority of the first year is spent in rotations run by the Department of Surgery. These follow the required rotations as spelled out by the Otolaryngology Resident Review Committee.
Because only three residents are chosen each year for this highly competitive program, applicants are advised to look critically at the strength of their application, as well as their qualifications and achievements towards Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Training Requirements
Training programs in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery in the United States are evaluated by the Residency Review Committee for Otolaryngology (RRC), which consists of representatives from the American Medical Association (AMA), the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the ABOto, and are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Information concerning approved educational programs can be found in the Graduate Medical Education Directory published by the American Medical Association.
Individuals who enter otolaryngology-head and neck surgery training on or after July 1, 2005 must satisfactorily complete a minimum of five years of training, as specified below, in an ACGME-approved program(s):
Residency programs must be of five years duration, with at least nine months of basic surgical, emergency medicine, critical care, and anesthesia training within the first year; including at least 48 months of progressive education in the specialty. This training must include a final year of senior experience. This final year must be spent within the accredited program in which the previous year of training was spent, unless prior approval is obtained from the ABOto.
The requirements for the first year of training are:
- A one-month rotation in each of the following specialties for a total of four months:
Emergency Medicine, Critical Care Unit, Anesthesia, and Neurological Surgery.
- Five months of structured education in a minimum of three of the following areas:
General Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Surgical Oncology.
- An additional maximum of three months of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery is optional, and any remaining months of the PGY-1 year must be completed in an ACGME approved program, or rotations specifically approved by the RRC.
- All residency training must be completed in a manner acceptable to the Director of that residency program.
GME Benefits Information:
GME Stipends Information: