Deanne L. King, MD, PhD, has joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as director of clinical research for the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the College of Medicine.
King will facilitate collaborations on otolaryngology topics between researchers on campus, assist residents and medical students with publishing their research, increase the number of clinical trials in the department, and pursue grant funding. She is also an assistant professor in the College of Medicine.
“This is a new position for the department and is part of our overall effort to expand our research program,” said John Dornhoffer, MD, department chair. “The department is already nationally known in clinical and academic circles. Research is a key area where we have the opportunity to provide an even more academically comprehensive and rich learning environment for our faculty, students, residents, and fellows.”
King has a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from the Texas A&M University in College Station. She has an MD/PhD in molecular and cellular biology and pathobiology from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She completed an internship in general surgery and a surgery residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, both at UAMS.
King said she enjoys helping researchers make connections.
“Research can sometimes be an isolating pursuit, but collaboration and idea-sharing is so important to the overall process,” King said. “I’m also looking forward to helping our students and residents. Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery is a highly competitive field. Having published research to your name early in your career is not only a valuable experience, but, increasingly, a necessity for medical students to successfully match into an otolaryngology residency.”
Dornhoffer has held the privately funded Samuel D. McGill Jr. Endowed Chair in Otolaryngology Research since 2002. There are a total of six endowed chairs within the department to assist with research funding.
Faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery are fellowship-trained in their specialty and cover all the sub-specialties in the field (otology, endocrine, head and neck, rhinology, laryngology, pediatric, and vascular anomalies). The faculty consistently receives high scores on patient satisfaction, and six faculty members are listed in “Best Doctors in America.” They practice at UAMS Medical Center, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and the Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System.
Department faculty members also publish their research at a high level, with several textbooks and dozens of peer-reviewed manuscripts published each year. Faculty members present their research at numerous national and international events and invited lectureships.