Diagnostic Assessment of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

Field: Lung and allergy, Neuroscience, Surgery and subspecialties 

Location: Ochsner Clinical School 

Type of student: Both types will be considered (i.e. you are flexible with your project/s) 

Type of work: Clinical work, Qualitative methods, Secondary data analysis, Systematic review 

Brief synopsis:

Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is a highly prevalent cause of otologic symptoms for which standardized diagnostic measures are lacking. Several factors are understood to play a role in ETD, including allergic rhinitis and acid reflux disease; however, the clinical effects of these exposures has not been well defined. The present project aims to utilize novel validated clinical assessments to study the relationship between Eustachian tube inflammation, audiometric testing and patient-reported outcome measures in otorhinolaryngology practice.

The student researcher will learn fundamentals of clinical research design, data collection, and basic analysis. He or she will be expected to actively participate in clinical data collection, maintain organized and accurate records, and assist with drafting presentations and manuscript materials based on results. The student will have the opportunity to present their findings to a larger group.

In addition, the student will have the opportunity to learn techniques of systematic review and meta-analysis, and contribute as a co-author in such publications about ETD and related topics.