Dr. Mark Whipple
Otolaryngologist
1 Podcast on BackTable
Dr. Mark Whipple is an otolaryngologist and serves as the Assistant Dean of Curriculum for the UW School of Medicine in Seattle, Washington.
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Episode # 292 • 15 Sept 2026
Workforce Development in Otolaryngology: Challenges & Strategies
How is the “arms race” for research and academic credentials reshaping the ENT workforce and residency process? On this episode of BackTable ENT & Allergy, Dr. Ashley Agan sits down with Dr. Al Merati and Dr. Mark Whipple from the University of Washington to discuss the pressures ENT residency applicants face, the impact on specialty equity and rural access, and the challenges programs encounter in selecting the next generation of otolaryngologists. They explore survey data showing up to two-thirds of applicants feel compelled to present an “academic” persona, and why this trend may erode unity, transparency, and opportunities across the field.
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About
Mark Whipple, M.D., M.S., graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine and completed his otolaryngology-head & neck surgery training at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He practiced in his home town of Fairbanks, Alaska, for several years before receiving graduate training in biomedical informatics in the Harvard-MIT program. He then joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at UW in 2001. In addition to his clinical activities at Harborview Medical Center, Dr. Whipple serves as the Assistant Dean of Curriculum for the UW School of Medicine and does research in biomedical informatics.
Visit UW Medicine to learn more about Dr. Mark Whipple.
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