SUNY Upstate ENT

On Thursday we celebrated our graduating chief residents and facial plastics fellow! It was an incredible ceremony filled with kind and emotional departing words from the graduates.

Where are our graduates headed next?
✨ Dr. Alexander Graf will be starting as a facial plastics and reconstructive surgery attending at Temple in Philadelphia!
✨ Dr. Tazheh Kavoosi will be staying here in Syracuse and starting at the St. Joe’s private ENT group!
✨ Dr. Josh Sen will be staying here at Upstate and coming on as one of our comprehensive ENT attendings!
✨ Dr. Dhruv Patel will begin his facial plastics and reconstructive surgery fellowship at Indiana University!

We are so proud of you all and thankful for everything you have given this program and all that each of you have taught us. Can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in your future careers!

Special shoutout to the winners of our graduation awards this year:
- Dr. Josh Sen won the award for the highest inservice exam score for the third year in a row, he also won the chief resident teaching award! He’s one smart cookie! 🤓
- Dr. Kelsey Lacourrege won the award for the best temporal bone for the second year in a row!
- Dr. Woods won the faculty teaching award - we also recognized Dr. Woods for concluding an incredible career that spanned three decades. We are so thankful for all that he has taught us over the years.

Huuuuge congratulations to Dr. Evan Hughes for matching into facial plastics fellowship! 🤩 He will be training under Dr. Ben Talei and Dr. Richard Zoumalan in Los Angeles starting in July of 2027!!!! 👏🏼 We are so very proud of you and this amazing accomplishment. Dr. Hughes is an incredible physician, mentor, friend, and colleague - Dr. Talei and Dr. Zoumalan are so fortunate to have him join them as a fellow. 🤓 🥰

Congratulations to Dr. Sherard Tatum for being awarded the very prestigious title of Distinguished Professor. 🤓

Appointment to a Distinguished Professorship is the highest system honor and academic rank conferred by the SUNY Board of Trustees, recognizing faculty who have achieved true national and international prominence.

Dr. Tatum has been a cornerstone of the Upstate community for over 30 years, contributing immensely to our field with hundreds of publications and outstanding clinical leadership. As a dedicated member of our Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and the Director of the Cleft and Craniofacial Program, his impact on our patients, residents, and institution is immeasurable. This distinction is a well-deserved reflection of his incredible dedication and excellence.

Congratulations again, Dr. Tatum! 👏🏼 we are so lucky to have you, as are your patients.

Congratulations to Dr. Mark Marzouk on his promotion to Professor of Otolaryngology. This achievement is a testament to his years of dedication to our department, his mentorship to others, and his significant contributions to the field of Otolaryngology. Dr. Marzouk currently serves as Program Director for the Otolaryngology Residency. 

In addition to this academic milestone, Dr. Marzouk has earned the highly prestigious Focused Practice Designation (FPD) in Adult Complex Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery (ACTPS). This is a unique, combined certification from the American Board of Surgery (ABS) and the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS). It is a distinction reserved for surgeons who maintain a high-volume, dedicated practice and demonstrate a sustained commitment to excellence in endocrine surgery. Earning this designation required not only passing a comprehensive written exam but also proving a track record of superior outcomes in the management of the most complex thyroid and parathyroid conditions.

Dr. Marzouk is a leader in our clinical community and ensures our patients continue to receive the highest level of specialized, multidisciplinary care.  We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and highly skilled colleague among us. Please take a moment to extend your congratulations on these significant professional triumphs.