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Dept. of Otolaryngology 30th Annual Alumni Conference honors retirement of Dr. Stephen J. Wetmore

Dept. of Otolaryngology 30th Annual Alumni Conference honors retirement of Dr. Stephen J. Wetmore

The Department of Otolaryngology 30th Annual Alumni Conference was held on June 22 at the Marriott Waterfront with Dr. John Dornhoffer, chair of Department of Otolaryngology at University of Arkansas as the Phillip Sprinkle guest speaker.  

Stephen J. Wetmore (left) was honored during the event.
Stephen J. Wetmore was honored during the event.

The conference honored and celebrated the retirement of the Romeo and Maria Lim Chair of Otolaryngology Dr. Stephen J. Wetmore and his 31 years of service. The Stephen J. Wetmore Faculty Resource Endowed Fund was established to celebrate Dr. Wetmore’s years of service as chair of the Department from August 1988 to June 2015.

Under his tenure, the department witnessed major transformation, growing from a single faculty member unit to its current state of twenty faculty members, five advanced practice professionals, and eight audiologists. Over ninety alumnus graduated during Dr. Wetmore’s time – all of whom remain practicing across the United States.

 Dr. Ramadan honored for “Outstanding Contribution of Mentorship and Service to Residents” from the graduating residents Stokes, Bender-Heine and Shapiro.

As customary, this year’s graduates received their certificates and gifts during the ceremony.

  • Dr. Adam Bender-Heine will be starting his fellowship in Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR.
  • Dr. Scott Shapiro will be starting his fellowship in Otology and Neuro-Otology at the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
  • Dr. William Stokes will be starting his fellowship in Head and Neck - Reconstructive Surgery at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
  • Dr. Phillip Purnell, PGY3, won this year’s 1st prize research award for his presentation titled: “Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms are associated with Chronic Rhinosinusitis.”
  • Dr. Hassan Ramadan, Chair of the Department was given an award for “Outstanding Contribution of Mentorship and Service to the Residents in the WVU Department of Otolaryngology”, the 1st time such an award was given.
  • Dr. Tanya Fancy, assistant professor & Chief H&N division, was given this year’s teaching award.
  • Shannon Thompkins, H&N APP, was given this years’ service award.

The function had record attendance of over 125 attendees with record attendance by graduates of this program.