On Saturday, April 21, 2012, in a ceremony during the annual Spring Meeting of the American Otological Society in San Diego, USA, Prof. Henryk Skarzynski was officially named a corresponding member of that oldest otological society in the United States. Professor Skarzynski is the first Pole in this elite group, and one of the few members from outside the USA.
The American Otological Society (AOS) has a rich and well documented history which goes back more than a century and a quarter. It is one of the oldest specialized medical societies in the United States. Currently, this elite Society has less than 290 members, of which only 18 active ones are from outside of the USA.
The AOS inaugural meeting was held in the Ocean House, Newport Rhode Island, on July 22, 1868 when 9 members of the American Ophthalmological Society (founded 1864) met to organize a society focused upon “aural” medicine. Since its inception the society member meet every year on conferences on which only the original research papers are presented.
The mission of the American Otological Society is:
- advancing and promoting the medical and surgical otology/neurotology and lateral skull base surgery including the rehabilitation of individuals with hearing and balance disorders.
- encouraging, promoting, and sponsoring research in otology/neurotology and lateral skull base surgery and related disciplines.
- conducting an annual meeting of the members for the presentation and discussion of scientific papers and the transaction of business affairs of the Society.
- publishing the peer reviewed papers and discussions presented during the scientific program and the proceedings of the business meetings.
AOS co-publishes ‘Otology & Neurotology’, a journal devoted to otological and/or neurotological research, services, and/or basic science. The co-publisher of the Journal is the American Neurotology Society. The Journal is a leading international publisher of professional health information for physicians, nurses, specialized clinicians and students. As the foremost journal in its field, it has become the favored place for publishing the best of new science relating to the human ear and its diseases.