Third-year residents consolidate the basic skills and knowledge gained the previous year. They perform surgical procedures of intermediate magnitude, including neck dissection, maxillofacial trauma procedures and raising of major reconstructive flaps, under the supervision of faculty members and senior residents.
Third-year residents also are given more responsibility for managing patients in the clinics of the affiliated hospitals. This permits increased hands-on experience.
Rotations performed by third-year residents provide an opportunity to acquire knowledge of related medical specialties. They have a four-month block of protected time for clinical and/or basic science research under the direction of a faculity advisor.
Requirements again include the home study course of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and the national yearly in-service examination.