Position Title
Professor and Chair
A nationally-recognized surgeon specializing in head and neck cancers, Dr. Farwell is Chair of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Penn Medicine.
Dr. Farwell specializes in head and neck cancer surgery, thyroid/parathyroid surgery, advanced facial skin cancer surgery, and microvascular reconstruction, with a particular focus on actively researching new techniques and surgical procedures and exploring new technologies to improve surgical care for future patients.
Dr. Farwell is committed to providing patients with compassionate, contemporary, evidence-based care, and significantly advancing the field of otorhinolaryngology to create the next gold standard in head and neck surgery.
In addition, he has a demonstrated track record of increasing the number of women and underrepresented minorities among both faculty and trainees in his department, along with work to develop programs to provide STEM education to underrepresented minority high school students.
In addition to his clinical service, research, and teaching, Dr. Farwell has held key administrative and national leadership posts, including as Vice Chief of Staff of the Health System at UC Davis and as Vice Chair of the Council of Chairs, among other roles. He is skilled at working across disciplines with other clinical and administrative leaders, including coordination of the UC Davis COVID response and the reorganization of the UC Davis Medical Group. He has held many roles within the international surgical educational organization, AO Foundation, and serves as Vice Chair of the Patient Care Division for the American Head and Neck Society and on the Board of the Association of Academic Departments of Otolaryngology.