University Hospitals ENT Institute Welcomes Dr. Cameron Wick Back to Northeast Ohio

Innovations in Ear, Nose & Throat | Spring 2025

Cameron Wick, MD

Alejandro Rivas, MD

Cleveland native Cameron Wick, MD, recently returned to Ohio and is providing expert otology/neurotology care and surgery to patients at sites throughout University Hospitals.

“Dr. Wick has strong ties to our community and completed his residency at University Hospitals, so he is one of us,” says Alejandro Rivas, MD, the Division Chief of Otology & Neurotology and Director of the Cochlear Implant Program at University Hospitals Ear, Nose & Throat Institute.

“We are thrilled to welcome him back to provide transformational care to our patients and expert training to our medical students, residents and fellows,” added Dr. Rivas, who is also the Richard W. and Patricia R. Pogue Chair in Auditory Surgery and Hearing Sciences and a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Dr. Wick comes to University Hospitals from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (WashU) and is dual board-certified in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and Neurotology.

His practice includes minimally invasive endoscopic ear surgery for adults and children, hearing restoration, cochlear implants and management of lateral skull base pathology, including acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas).

“Dr. Wick is a phenomenal surgeon, both with the endoscope and microscope,” Dr. Rivas says. “When I came here in 2020, I brought endoscopic ear surgery to our system, but we need someone else to help us carry that flag as our program and patient volume grow.”

Cochlear Implantation with Acoustic Neuromas

During his time at WashU, Dr. Wick led a clinical trial involving the preservation of cochlear nerves in the setting of acoustic neuromas to determine when cochlear implants can be beneficial. “The FDA granted special access to a new nerve monitoring device for the trial,” Dr. Wick says. “My experience collaborating with the FDA, as well as neurosurgery and audiology, will help strengthen our department’s already strong presence in clinical trials and research.”

His proficiency in acoustic neuroma surgery and cochlear nerve preservation is a complement to UH’s large-volume skull base center. “We have a very strong acoustic neuroma program and want to provide these patients with the possibility of hearing restoration if possible,” Dr. Rivas says. “Functionality of the auditory nerve is essential for future cochlear implantation, and Dr. Wick’s expertise in this field is ideal.”

Education

A graduate of Washington and Lee University, Dr. Wick earned his medical degree at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. He completed a Neurotology Fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.

While in Texas, he was mentored by neurotologist Brandon Isaacson, MD. “Like Dr. Rivas, Dr. Isaacson was on the forefront of endoscopic ear surgery,” Dr. Wick says. “The use of endoscopes allows us to treat many ear diseases in a minimally invasive manner through the ear canal. I’m excited to team up with Dr. Rivas as we continue to advance these techniques.”

Dr. Wick explains that, in addition to excellent visualization, the novel endoscopic technique promotes faster healing and less pain, consistent with other minimally invasive procedures.

Awards and National Leadership

Dr. Wick prides himself in patient-centric care and is a Castle Connolly Top Doctor. He has won research awards and was named a Cochrane Scholar by the American Otological Society and the American Neurotology Society. He holds multiple national leadership positions, including:

• Acoustic Neuroma Association medical board, the premier resource for the acoustic neuroma community that provides education and support to those affected by benign tumors of the vestibular nerve
• An instructor at the Institute for Cochlear Implant Training, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting excellence in cochlear implantation through advanced training for surgeons, audiologists and rehabilitation specialists
• Chair of Content Curation for the American Academy of Otolaryngology, the world’s largest organization representing ear, nose, and throat specialists

Choosing University Hospitals

“Cleveland is home and the UH ENT department feels like family,” Dr. Wick says. “I know the strength of leadership under UH CEO Dr. Cliff Megerian, our ENT chair, Dr. Nicole Maronian, and our division chief, Dr. Rivas. It makes the job fun when you get to work with great partners.”

As a prominent academic medical center, the infrastructure of University Hospitals and the School of Medicine supports Dr. Wick’s clinical and research interests while affording opportunities to train the next generation of otologists and neurotologists.

“This academic year, we are graduating our first neurotology fellow,” says Dr. Wick, who is an associate professor at the School of Medicine. “The future of our ENT Institute and the otology practice is bright.”

You can contact Dr. Wick at Cameron.Wick@UHhospitals.org.

Contributing Experts:
Cameron Wick, MD
Otologist/Neurotologist
University Hospitals Ear, Nose & Throat Institute
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Associate Professor
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Alejandro Rivas, MD
Division Chief, Otology & Neurotology
Director, Cochlear Implant Program
University Hospitals Ear, Nose & Throat Institute
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Richard W. and Patricia R. Pogue Chair in Auditory Surgery and Hearing Sciences and Professor
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine