“I owe a lot to the AAOA and the fellowship process. Obtaining that level of expertise improved my patient outcomes greatly and made me and my practice more marketable. I was asked about my allergy practice/fellowship at several job interviews…
Join us for this unique opportunity in Sonoma
“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things” — Theodore Levitt
Kudos to our Board and Education Committee! They continue to try to view challenges as opportunities and to view them through new eyes. Jennifer Villwock, MD, FAAOA with the help of Jack Krouse, MD, MPH, MBA, FAAOA have truly embraced the challenge to think differently to build a whole new CME program for the AAOA.
Launched in 2025, the Explorers Course 2026: Medical & Surgical Management of Airway Disease in Otolaryngology will continue to deliver deep dives into key hot topics in ENT that are impacting your practice. And they are doing it with some innovative adult learning formats to blend the expertise of the faculty with the expertise of your peers to give you some great take aways to implement. Focused on the state-of-the-art, this course is designed to provide contemporary clinical updates and tools for your practice.
2026 will take deep dives into —
- The frontal sinus
- “Sinus” headache
- Ocular manifestations of allergies and treatments beyond antihistamine eye drops
- Food allergy
- Microbiome and allergies/sinusitis
- Changing environment
- Immunodeficiencies
- Autoimmune diseases and allergies/sinusitis
- Immunosuppression and allergies
- Geriatric allergy & immunology
- Health supplements and allergy
- Hypersensitivity reactions to food additives
- Further sessions on office procedures
Complementing the course will be a new approach to corporate relations too. Join us for this unique opportunity to engage with our corporate partners through small group demo labs, where they will showcase how their product/service/device fits into your ENT practice. With the small group format will also allow you insights into how your peers are implementing the tools and hear their questions to walk away with a more balanced perspective and pathway to add service lines.
Keeping with the hybrid format, those who choose to join us for the live component can experience all the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Sonoma have to offer. More than just an oenophile destination, Sonoma has a great history. The Jack London Forest is nearby for those wishing to explore the outdoors. Jen Villwock will be happy to have you join her as she explores the local trails on Friday. Downtown Sonoma gives you a sense of the rich history that laid the foundation for wine country. And, of course, for those looking to explore the vineyards and local harvest, Jack Krouse will be happy to have you join him as he explores some of the tasting rooms downtown. Have your own ideas for a fun Friday adventure between lectures? Post your invite in the Meet Ups in Whova. The App will open at least 30 days out to give everyone access to the prework and initiate community dialogue around the clinical questions the Explorers Course will explore and share opportunities in Sonoma.
Register today to help assure you have access to all the pre-work and secure your hotel room to join us for this innovative approach to CME that impacts your practice.
Explorers Course 2026:
Surgical & Medical Management of Airway Disease in Otolaryngology
Hybrid Course with 90 Days of Content Access
December 22 to March 23
January 22-24, 2026 – Live/Live Stream at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, Sonoma, CA
