Uchechukwu Megwalu, MD, MPH

Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS)

Bio

Dr. Megwalu was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, but spent most of his childhood in Nigeria. He received his undergraduate degree from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Megwalu received his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine, completed his residency at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, and received his MPH degree from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. After residency, Dr. Megwalu joined the faculty at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he served as Director of Otolaryngology at Queens Hospital Center, and Assistant Regional Director of Otolaryngology for Queens Health Network from 2011 to 2015.
Dr. Megwalu Joined the Division of Comprehensive Otolaryngology at Stanford in 2016. His clinical interests include thyroid and parathyroid disorders, head and neck tumors, sinusitis, and chronic ear disorders. Dr. Megwalu conducts outcomes/health services research, with a focus on health literacy, health disparities, and comparative effectiveness research.

Clinical Focus

Comprehensive Otolaryngology
Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroid Cancer
Parathyroid Neoplasms
Salivary gland tumors
Chronic sinusitis
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Otitis Media
Tympanoplasty
Otolaryngology

Academic Appointments

Professor - University Medical Line, Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery)
Member, Stanford Cancer Institute

Administrative Appointments

Division Chief, Comprehensive Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine (2019 - Present)
Otolaryngology Clerkship Director, Stanford University School of Medicine (2017 - Present)
Director of Otolaryngology, Queens Hospital Center, Jamaica, NY, USA (2011 - 2015)
Assistant Regional Director of Otolaryngology, Queens Health Network, Queens, NY, USA (2011 - 2015)

Honors & Awards

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation Doctor’s Day Award, New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (May, 2015)
Senator Jose Peralta Certificate of Recognition, New York State Senate (January, 2015)
New York City Council Citation, New York City Council (January, 2015)
Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, US Congressman Joseph Crowley (January, 2015)
Queens Courier Rising Stars Award, Queens Courier (January, 2015)
Hyun Taik Cho, MD Research Scholarship Award, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary (November, 2009)
Robert Carter Medical School Award, Washington University School of Medicine (5/19/2006)
Distinguished Minority Medical Scholar, Washington University School of Medicine (8/10/2002 – 5/19/2006)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

Member, American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (2006 - Present)

Professional Education

Medical Education: Washington University School Of Medicine Registrar (2006) MO
Board Certification: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Otolaryngology (2012)
Board Certification: American Board of Otolaryngology, Otolaryngology (2012)
Residency: New York Eye and Ear Infimary (2011) NY
Internship: New York Eye and Ear Infimary (2007) NY
MD, Washington University School of Medicine, Medicine (2006)
Residency, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (2011)
Board Certification, American Board of Otolaryngology, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (2012)
Board Certification, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (2012)
MPH, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Public Health - Outcomes Research Track (2014)

Contact

Academic umegwalu@stanford.edu

Academic Office Administrative Contact Olga Komin Administrative Associate okomin@stanford.edu Tel: (650) 497-6624

Clinical (Primary)

This is the primary clinic for this clinical provider. For additional clinical locations and information, please visit the link(s) listed below in the 'Additional Clinical Info' section.

Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 801 Welch Rd 2nd FL MC 5739 Stanford CA 94305 Tel: (650) 725-6500 Fax: (650) 725-8502

Additional Clinical Info

Stanford Health Care

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

I have an interest in Outcomes/Health Services Research. Specific areas of interest include: health disparities, head and neck cancer epidemiology and comparative effectiveness research using large population-based cancer databases.

Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology and Comparative Effectiveness:
Head and neck cancer is the seventh most common cancer in the world. It accounts for approximately 10% of cancers, with an estimated 130,000 new cases in the United States in 2015. Head and neck cancer is an important cause of cancer mortality, with an average 5-year cumulative survival of 65% in the United States. My research interest is in the use of large datasets, such as the SEER database, to evaluate the impact of sociodemographic and clinical factors on treatment choice and survival outcomes. Ongoing work includes evaluating the comparative effectiveness of treatment options in the management of head and neck cancer.

Understanding Head and Neck Cancer Disparities:
Significant sociodemographic disparities exist in head and neck cancer outcomes. African Americans, uninsured/underinsured patients, and patients with low socioeconomic status have poor outcomes. They are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease, are less likely to receive adequate treatment, resulting in lower survival rates. The mechanisms that drive these disparities are not yet clearly understood. My research focuses on understanding the drivers of disparities in HNC outcomes, in order to develop interventions aimed at reducing them.

Hearing loss and hearing healthcare access:
Hearing loss is the fourth highest cause of disability globally, with 466 million people suffering from disabling hearing loss worldwide. Hearing loss is associated with diminished quality of life due to communication difficulties and limitations in activities of daily living. My research efforts have focused on evaluating the impact of hearing loss on health outcomes, and addressing barriers to hearing healthcare access. I served as the principal investigator in all of these studies. My current research focuses on assessing the comparative effectiveness of strategies to improve hearing health care use, and understanding disparities in hearing loss risk and hearing healthcare access.

Health literacy:
Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic information and services needed to make appropriate decisions regarding their health. It is estimated that 90 million adults in the United States have inadequate health literacy. Health literacy has been shown to impact outcomes in a number of medical conditions. My research efforts have focused on evaluating the impact of health literacy on patient-physician communication and outcomes in otolaryngology patients.

2024-25 Courses

Independent Studies
- Graduate Research
  OTOHNS 399 (Aut, Win, Spr)
- Medical Scholars Research
  OTOHNS 370 (Aut, Win, Spr)

All Publications

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