Eric Dowling, MD
Head and Neck Surgery
Additional Locations
Bio & Overview
As an otolaryngologist, or ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, Eric M. Dowling, MD, specializes in head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction.
Born in Fargo, N.D., and raised in Moorhead, Minn., Dr. Dowling started out in college studying mechanical engineering. But he felt unfulfilled by the field’s “purely mathematical, structural, and physical endpoints.” After a few positive mentoring and clinical experiences with doctors in his hometown, Dr. Dowling realized medicine was the right career path for him.
“The field of medicine has allowed me to use the skills I’ve gained to heal and provide hope to patients,” Dr. Dowling says.
After earning an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Minnesota Duluth, Dr. Dowling graduated from medical school at the University of North Dakota. He completed his residency in otolaryngology head and neck surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Next, he moved to New York City for a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction with Mark Urken, MD, at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
“Head and neck surgery can have a tremendous impact on a patient’s wellbeing,” Dr. Dowling says. “I like to emphasize caring for the patient as a whole, rather than simply treating a disease. Doing so often requires collaboration of efforts from a multidisciplinary team of experts.”
Outside of work, Dr. Dowling enjoys tinkering on cars, playing disc golf, and camping with his wife and dog.
Academic Information
- Department
- Otolaryngology
- Academic Role
- Assistant Professor
- Division
- Head & Neck Oncologic & Microvascular Surgery
- Research Interests
- De-Escalation Of Adjuvant Treatment in HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer; Functional Outcomes After Head and Neck Surgery
- Gender
- Male
- Languages
- English
- Age Groups Seen
- Adults (21-65)
Older Adults (65+)
- Primary Education
- University of North Dakota
- Residency
- Mayo Clinic
- Fellowships
- Mount Sinai West
- Certification
- American Board of Otolaryngology (Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck)
- Additional Specialties
- Otolaryngology
Highlights
Meet Eric Dowling, MD
I'm Eric Dowling. I do head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction here at UVA. I see a variety of patients with both benign and cancerous diseases of the head and neck region. This includes cancers or lesions of the mouth, tongue, throat, voice box, tonsil area, as well as salivary glands, thyroid and skin cancers. My interest in medicine was piqued early on when I experienced one of my own family members getting healthcare and seeing the amount of compassion that the providers had for her and seeing how much of an impact that could make on both the patients' lives as well as their family members. I feel strongly about educating patients and spend a lot of time during my visits talking about the disease processes, what to expect, what treatment options are out there, and I encourage patients to be advocates for themselves and take ownership of their treatments. Patients should come to UVA for treatment of their head and neck cancers because we offer a variety of expertise in multiple disciplines and incorporate input from many experts to provide comprehensive care to patients. We also provide a centered approach that takes into account a patient's specific type of cancer, their stage, as well as their goals of treatment.
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