Stacey L. Ishman, MD, MPH

I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was 4 years old. However, I had never heard of otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat, or ENT) until the summer between my first and second years of medical school. At that time, I worked in the anatomy lab and met several ENTs who were putting on an educational course. I was able to assist them with the course and was hooked from then on.

As a pediatric ENT surgeon and sleep medicine specialist, I strongly believe that multidisciplinary care improves patient outcomes and clinical understanding. I also think that partnering with parents is the best way to understand a patient and a disease or condition. Toward that end, I have worked with the Complex Obstructive Sleep Apnea Center as the surgical director to include parents in the creation of shared decision-making tools and to initiate a parent advisory group.

I am also passionate about mentorship and medical student education, and in 2019, I was honored to receive the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Excellence in Mentoring Award. This award is given to two faculty members a year who are nominated by the medical students. It recognizes the value of quality mentoring on the medical students' career development, including their transition to residency.

I have served the specialty of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery and have been recognized for this service by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (AAOHNS) with the Distinguished Service Award in 2015 and 2018. These awards recognized my work as the chair of the Board of Governors and as a member of the Board of Directors of the AAOHNS.

In my research, my colleagues and I are seeking the best ways to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children, especially infants with OSA or those children with sleep apnea that persists after their tonsils and adenoids are removed.

In my personal life, I am a displaced east-coaster, an out-of-place Penn State alumnus and football fan, and a lover of Broadway musicals.