Department Promotions

Noel Jabbour, MD was promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology on June 1, 2020. Dr. Jabbour also assumed the role of Program Director of the Residency Program, taking over for Dr. Barry Schaitkin.

His clinical expertise is in the otolaryngologic care of patients with cleft palate, including otologic and airway care as well as velopharyngeal dysfunction and cleft palate repair. He is passionate about the care of children with microtia and aural atresia and serves as the director of the Congenital Ear Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Catherine Palmer, PhD was promoted to Professor in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders on August 1, 2020. Dr. Palmer, who also holds an assignment in the Department of Otolaryngology, is also the Director of Audiology and Hearing Aids.

Dr. Palmer conducts research in the areas of auditory learning post hearing aid fitting, the relationship between hearing and cognitive health, and matching technology to individual needs.

Stella Lee, MD was promoted to Associate Professor of Otolaryngology on December 1, 2020. Dr. Lee was also named the Director of The Berrylin J. Ferguson Sinonasal Disorder and Allergy Center.

Dr. Lee recently announced that she will be leaving the Department of Otolaryngology in 2021.

Eric Wang, MD was promoted to Professor of Otolaryngology on March 1, 2021. Dr. Wang is also Vice Chairman for Clinical Services and will succeed Dr. Stella Lee as Director of The Berrylin J. Ferguson Sinonasal Disorder and Allergy Center.

Dr. Wang’s clinical and research focus are in the areas of skull base surgery and rhinology, his areas of subspecialty fellowship training. As a member of the UPMC Center for Cranial Base Surgery, he has designed and implemented multiple prospective controlled trials on the outcomes and consequences of skull base surgery. In addition to outcomes research, he also is active in translational research.

Andrew McCall, MD was promoted to Associate Professor of Otolaryngology on May 1, 2021.

Dr. McCall’s clinical focus is on the treatment of patients with otologic and neurotologic disorders. He is specifically interested in the surgical management of patients with hearing loss, chronic otitis media and associated sequelae, or skull base disorders. Dr. McCall’s scientific focus is on understanding the manner in which somatosensory inputs from the periphery are integrated with vestibular inputs in the central nervous system.

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Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center is positioned to be the top auditory neuroscience research group in the country. Combined with our clinical expertise in hearing loss and neurotology, the Department of Otolaryngology has the ability to transform treatments and therapies for patients with different conditions related to hearing loss.

Research has clearly demonstrated that treatment for head and neck cancer- even when successful in cancer control, introduces the patient to a state of having a chronic condition characterized—but not limited to – dysphagia, neck disability, pain, and sleep disturbances ongoing efforts to provide these services in an environment of education and research will require.

CREATES and the teaching laboratory offers an opportunity to contribute to surgical innovation, bring the training of new surgeons into a simulated environment (rather than working on humans) and provide metrics of surgical quality and continued education to an international platform for use across the United States and around the world.

To learn more details about the Eye & Ear Foundation campaign, visit eyeandear. org, or call the Foundation office at 412864-1300, or request information from

Dr. Bakeman came to the University of Pittsburgh after completing her undergraduate at the University of Michigan and her medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She was drawn to Pittsburgh by the department’s rich history and the strong surgical training of the residency. Upon graduation Dr. Bakeman will be returning to the Medical College of Wisconsin for a fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Goyal came to the University of Pittsburgh after completing her undergraduate at Columbia University and her medical degree from SUNY Upstate. She chose UPMC for its devotion to subspecialty training, research opportunities, and world-renowned faculty. Upon graduation Dr. Goyal will be joining the Glasgold Group in Princeton, NJ and at Robert Wood Johnson where she matched into an AAFPRS Facial Plastics and Reconstruction Fellowship.

Originally from Bogota, Columbia, Dr. Velasquez completed her undergrad, medical school, and residency training in Otolaryngology at the National University in Colombia. During her time as a resident, she has actively participated in research, with special interest in Rhinology and Skull Base surgery and has published numerous articles in the area. After graduation, she will continue her training with a fellowship in Rhinology and Skull-base Surgery at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Issa grew up in Ann Arbor, MI and completed his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Michigan. During his time in Pittsburgh Dr. Issa has had direct involvement in the ENT presence at the Birmingham Free Clinic in Pittsburgh, as well as multiple internal mission work trips including as a third-year resident. Upon graduation Dr. Issa will be staying on at UPMC for a Head and Neck Cancer – Microvascular Reconstruction fellowship.

Dr. Vijay Patel, a California native, attended the University of California-Los Angeles for his undergraduate degree in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics with Honors Collegium and went on to complete medical school at the Penn State College of Medicine. Dr. Patel continued his professional medical education by performing his surgical training in otolaryngology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. After residency, Dr. Patel pursued a one-year fellowship in Rhinology and Cranial Base Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Following his time in Pennsylvania, Dr. Patel will start his second fellowship in Complex Pediatric Otolaryngology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to expand his scholarly interests in sinonasal disorders and skull base surgery.

Dr Mascarella came to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for fellowship training in advanced head and neck oncology with microvascular reconstruction after completing his residency at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He was drawn to the program for the unparalleled training in complex head and neck cancer management and reconstruction. Dr Mascarella will be returning to the McGill University Health Centre as an assistant professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He will also take on the role as a scientist in clinical epidemiology at the Lady Davis Institute of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada.

Dr. Ramaswamy completed her BA with Honors at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, and received her medical degree from University of Texas McGovern Medical School in Houston, TX. She also completed her otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency at UT-Houston McGovern Medical School. She then went on to pursue a fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology at Texas Children’s Hospital-Baylor College of Medicine (TCHBCM) in Houston, TX. She was drawn to UPMC given the Cranial Base Center’s culture of innovation and its reputation as the best in the world. After graduation, Dr. Ramaswamy will join the faculty at TCH-BCM to help build a pediatric skull base program in conjunction with their world-renowned Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery.