Mr Joel A Smith

Mr. Joel A. Smith completed his undergraduate Medical degree at University of Birmingham having completed an undergraduate degree in behavioral sciences. His post graduate training was completed on the Worcestershire and Warwickshire basic surgical training program followed by higher surgical training in otolaryngology (ENT surgery) in the West Midlands training region completing a diploma in head and neck surgery and a certificate in medical education during this time in program. He was awarded fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeon of England in 2011.

During his higher surgical training he took time out of program to complete a Research Fellowship and doctorate in the molecular genetics of medullary thyroid cancer at University of Birmingham. He received the prestigious British Journal of Surgery prize for best research paper in recognition of this. He was fortunate enough to further his research interest in head neck and thyroid cancer during his Clinical Fellowship at the Sydney Head and Neck Cancer institute based at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia. During his fellowship he received advanced training in the surgical management of head and neck, skin and thyroid cancer. His training was delivered by world leading Professors with backgrounds in ENT, General surgery and Plastic surgery and included complex tumour resections as well and reconstruction using local pedicled and micro-vascular free flaps. He received additional training in laser microsurgery and minimal access robotic surgery for the head and neck. Mr Smith has developed and continues to foster clinical and research collaborations between the UK and Australia.

Research Training

Mr. Smith’s research interests are in the molecular genetics of thyroid conditions and thyroid cancer. He currently supervises a research fellow linked to University of Exeter. He has received substantial grant awards to support his work from the Get Ahead Charitable Trust, The Midland Institute of Otology, The British Society of Thyroid and Endocrine Surgeons and the University Hospital Birmingham Charitable Trust. He has authored and co-authored multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals and regularly presents his work at national and international meetings. He regularly reviews research papers for the journals Clinical Otlolaryngology, Endocrine Connections and the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Current posts

• Consultant ENT, Head, Neck and Thyroid Surgeon Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Consultant ENT, Head, Neck and Thyroid Surgeon Nuffield Exeter Hospital