Federal Grant Award Summary

The Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc. received a $165,317 Project Grant award dated April 23, 2026, from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) under the Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program (CFDA 93.173). The award funds the Mentored Operative and Research Experience in Otolaryngology (MORE-OTO) program through March 31, 2031, addressing the critical shortage of surgeon-scientists in otolaryngology and communication disorders research.

The MORE-OTO program delivers a comprehensive training curriculum with two primary components: an 8-week summer research experience for medical students recruited locally and nationally, and a dedicated research year for otolaryngology residents at MCW. Medical students are matched to one of three research tracks—Hearing & Communication, Head & Neck Cancer, or Airway Health & Olfaction—and receive mentorship from experienced surgeon-scientists with exposure to both clinical and research settings. Residents participating in the dedicated research year engage in intensive research training and clinical mentorship with operative experience aligned to their research focus. The program leverages MCW's robust scientific resources to bridge the gap between surgical training and translational research, cultivating the next generation of surgeon-scientists capable of balancing surgical and research careers while advancing innovation in communication disorders.