Memorial Health System of Southwest Oklahoma is hiring a board-certified or board-eligible otolaryngologist for its hospital-employed ENT practice in Lawton. You will have a full schedule within your first weeks. About half of each clinic day is new patients, every patient comes to you by referral, and new ENT appointments currently wait about three weeks. Leadership has named ENT a priority service line and is rebuilding it now, so you will have a direct say in how the practice grows.
This position has no call requirement. Your evenings and weekends stay your own, and your clinic and OR days start without the fatigue of overnight consults.
ENT coverage is limited across Southwest Oklahoma, and demand exceeds current capacity. Referrals come from the health system's primary care clinics, urgent care, and emergency department. Most patients live in Lawton, and others travel in from surrounding communities such as Cache and Duncan. When you join, these families get shorter waits and can receive ENT care closer to home.
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Practice setting | Hospital-employed ENT practice |
| Requirements | Board-certified or board-eligible in otolaryngology |
| Call | None |
| Clinic volume | 14 to 16 patients per day |
| New patients | About 50% of daily visits |
| Patient mix | 40 to 50% pediatric, adjustable to your preference |
| Referral sources | Primary care, urgent care, and emergency department |
| Schedule | Primarily clinic-based with dedicated OR time |
| Ramp-up | Flexible ramp-up period for new physicians |
| Candidates welcome | Experienced physicians, new graduates (mentorship available), and international physicians |
This is a general ENT practice, and you decide where to focus. You can build a pediatric-heavy practice or keep a balanced adult and pediatric mix. Head and neck oncology is not required. Complex head and neck cases are typically referred to Oklahoma City. If you want to develop advanced cases, leadership supports building that service around your interests.
Strong pediatric volume
Tonsillectomies, adenoidectomies, and tympanostomy tubes
Chronic sinus disease and nasal obstruction
Epistaxis
Chronic cough evaluation
Voice and hoarseness disorders
Vertigo and dizziness
Significant opportunity for nasal and sinus surgery
Optional advanced cases, developed based on your interest
You will operate with a dedicated outpatient surgery center and 12 operating rooms. OR turnover averages about 20 minutes, and anesthesiologists and CRNAs staff the rooms. ENT block time expands as your volume grows.
Inpatient and outpatient ENT surgery supported
Anesthesia coverage from both MDAs and CRNAs
Clinic with 3.5 exam rooms, with more space available after minor renovation
Multiple rigid scopes (2.7 mm and 4 mm) and multiple flexible scopes
Microscopes in both clinic and OR
Leadership commitment to add equipment and clinic space as volume increases
Most ENT procedures are outpatient, and complication rates are very low. Standard post-op follow-up happens within one week. Clinic staff are trained to handle post-op calls, and your inpatient rounding is minimal.
ENT is a priority for the health system, and leadership is open to physician-driven program development. They have committed to investing in staffing, space, equipment, and practice structure. Long-term plans include:
1 to 2 additional ENT physicians
Audiology services
More APP support
Succession planning as senior ENT providers approach later career stages
You will arrive at a point where the practice is ready to grow. You bring the clinical direction, and the health system brings the patients, the OR, and the investment to support it.