Tapan A Padhya MD

Tapan A. Padhya, MD is Professor and Chair of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM) Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Padhya, a nationally respected head and neck oncologic surgeon who oversees the Division of Head and Neck Oncology. Recruited as an Assistant Professor in 2000, Dr Padhya has earned the enthusiastic endorsement of the leadership and colleagues at USF Health, Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center and Tampa General Hospital, where he formerly served as Chief of Staff during the COVID pandemic.

Dr Padhya received his bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and his medical degree from Indiana University in Indianapolis. After completing an Otolaryngology residency at the University of Louisville, he completed a fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck/Skull Base Surgery at the University of Cincinnati.

Among his many accomplishments include establishing the region's largest multidisciplinary ENT Sleep and Snoring Center which he co-directs. He has also implemented a quality/patient safety program across all USF Health ENT clinical sites. Access to high quality value-based health care remains a primary focus for Dr. Padhya.

Medical Education lies at the heart of Dr. Padhya's passionate mission. He feels teaching the next generation of physicians to be of the utmost importance. With 4 robust teaching hospital partners, USF ENT will continue to expand educational offerings to their medical students and ENT surgical residents including boot camp simulation opportunities at USF CAMLS (Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation) center.

As a research investigator, he has also been very productive with more than 100 original peer reviewed published manuscripts, 15 book chapters plus over 130 abstracts to his credit which have been presented in local, regional, and national meetings. His interests lie in cancer health disparities and patient outcome research. Also developed as a personal area of interest, the USF ENT Sleep and Snoring Center will continue to be a regional center for clinical research trials. He has received numerous awards including AAO-HNS service award, Best Doctors, and US New & World Report "Top Doctors", and “Top doctors in Tampa Bay”.

Dr. Padhya is an active member in many professional organizations including American Academy Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), American Head and Neck Society, and the Florida Society of Otolaryngology. He looks forward to his continued work with community and academic health leaders in making Tampa Bay are regional hub for ENT clinical and educational excellence while developing novel research innovation.