Steven Zeitels ’82
Steven Zeitels – a member of the Class of 1982, celebrating his 25th Reunion this year – is bestowed unto him the honor of the BUSM Distinguished Alumnus Award for his outstanding career in otolaryngology.
Dr. Zeitels was a member of the first class of Boston University Trustee Scholars and attended BU’s six-year medical program. He completed a BU – Tufts University combined Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Program and a Head & Neck Surgical Oncology Fellowship at BU and the Boston Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
He serves as Laryngologist to various voice departments in Boston, as well as to the American Repertory Theatre at Harvard University, the Boston Lyric Opera, visiting vocalists with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston University Huntington Theatre.
He has been a productive surgical innovator, designing more than 20 new laryngeal and pharyngeal procedures as well as two patented laryngoscopes. His major research interests include laryngeal microsurgery, especially as it relates to minimally-invasive surgical oncology; phonosurgery and voice disorders; medical and surgical management of performing artists; design and development of endoscopic instruments; and the history of laryngology and head and neck surgery.
He has contributed more than 150 scientific articles, book chapters, and videotapes in these areas as well as presenting over 250 papers and lectures. His single-author Atlas of Phonomicrosurgery is considered by many surgeons to be the definitive text in microsurgery of the larynx.
Dr. Zeitels has received more than 50 awards and honored lectureships for his achievements including the Casselberry Award from the American Laryngological Association. A committed academic surgeon working locally, nationally and internationally to advance laryngology and head and neck surgery, his work has been discussed extensively in print media, radio, and television both nationally and internationally [i.e. Good Morning America, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, London Sunday Times, Boston Globe, NPR, BBC]
He conceived and directs the Voice Restoration Research Program, which is a collaborative effort of investigators at Harvard Medical School, Mass General Hospital, MIT, and Julie Andrews. He recently re-established a Harvard Laryngeal Surgery service at Mass General Hospital, which had not been present since the 1920s.
Currently, Dr. Zeitels is the Eugene B. Casey Chair of Laryngeal Surgery at Harvard Medical School, an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, and the Director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
On behalf of the Alumni Association, Steven Zeitels, M.D. ’82 was awarded the 2007 BUSM Distinguished Alumnus Award.
