The Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine is pleased to welcome four new fellows to its fellowship programs for the 2026–2027 academic year:
- Logan Lindemann, MD – Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery Fellow
- Alexander Karabachev, MD – Head and Neck Oncology and Reconstructive Surgery Fellow
- Dhruv Patel, MD – Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellow
- Adam Xiao, MD, PhD – Neurotology Fellow
As they begin the next stage of their training, these physicians will gain advanced clinical experience while working alongside faculty experts in their respective subspecialties. Fellows train across multiple Indianapolis clinical sites, caring for patients with complex conditions and expanding their expertise through a wide range of surgical and clinical experiences. Beyond clinical training, the fellowship programs provide opportunities to participate in research, mentor residents and medical students, and develop the skills needed for careers in academic medicine.
We recently spoke with this year's fellows about their journey to otolaryngology and what led them to continue their training at IU School of Medicine.
Logan Lindemann, MD
Where did you grow up? Equal parts Amarillo and San Angelo, Texas and Danville, Pennsylvania.
What is your residency / medical school / undergraduate background? I attended Penn State University for my undergrad, Temple University School of Medicine for medical school, and Geisinger Medical Center for my residency.
Why are you pursuing a career in ENT? I chose ENT for many reasons. I suppose primarily for the day-to-day balance of clinic and the OR and the breadth of practice available to us. My mentors are at different stages of their careers, but they are all in a constant state of adaptation. I liked the idea of honing a craft throughout my entire career.
What intrigued you about the IU School of Medicine? I felt a sense of belonging here and the volume is quite impressive. I was confident that I would be prepared for any challenges that I would face after completing a fellowship here.
Why did you choose your fellowship subspecialty? Anterior skull base anatomy has always excited me, and I like the spatial aspects of operating endoscopically. I also look forward to building long standing relationships with patients who have chronic sinus disease.
What do you want to learn most from the faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology? I look forward to learning new approaches and techniques from everyone at IU. I can't wait to meet so many new and exciting people.
Alexander Karabachev, MD
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What is your residency / medical school / undergraduate background? I attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for my undergraduate, the University of Vermont for Medical School, and completed my residency at the University of Cincinatti.
Why are you pursuing a career in ENT? I enjoy the complex anatomy and pathology, the surgeries, and meaningful long-term relationships with patients through treatment and survivorship. I have enjoyed learning the ablative side of head and neck oncology and I am looking forward to learning more about the reconstruction.
What intrigued you about the IU School of Medicine? The program has everything I am looking for from a learning and growth perspective and after my interview I knew I would be really excited to spend more time learning from the faculty at IU.
Why did you choose your fellowship subspecialty? My initial interest was because of a family member with oropharyngeal cancer, and it continued to grow the more I learned about the field.
What do you want to learn most from the faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology? I'm looking forward to learning more and improving my skills in all aspects of oncologic care from the initial diagnosis, ablation, reconstruction, continuing relationships following treatment, multidisciplinary discussions.
Dhruv Patel, MD
Where did you grow up? I grew up partially in Toronto and in the Hudson Valley Region of New York.
What is your residency / medical school / undergraduate background? I attended SUNY Albany for undergrad, completing a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major. I stayed in town for medical school at Albany Medical College and completed my Otolaryngology residency at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, New York.
Why are you pursuing a career in ENT? The breadth and complexity of procedures offered by ENT and the ability to be both the diagnostician and proceduralist for a series of pathologies is what drew me to this field.
What intrigued you about the IU School of Medicine? IU has such a strong standing across the various subspecialities of the field, coupled with the fact that all interactions I've had with IU department residents/staff/faculty have been nothing short of spectacular.
Why did you choose your fellowship subspecialty? Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (FPRS) as a specialty is what you make of it. Our patients come with a variety of pathologies and give us the ability to provide cancer care one day, rehabilitate facial nerve weaknesses another day, and help improve a patient's sense of self-image the next day, all of which makes the field immensely gratifying. The breadth within the specialty is so vast that individuals in the field tend to further subspecialize in their practice. IU's FPRS program offers the ability to learn the breadth of the field at a high complexity.
What do you want to learn most from the faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology? I'm hoping to refine skills that I already have and learn so much more from the spectacular faculty here in the field of facial nerve reanimation, facial trauma and microvascular reconstruction amongst others. Hoping the residents and faculty can teach me what it truly means to be a Hoosier!
Adam Xiao, MD, PhD
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana
What is your residency / medical school / undergraduate background? I attended Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport for medical school and completed my residency at UCLA. Before medical school, I earned undergraduate degrees in biomedical engineering and economics from Johns Hopkins University.
Why are you pursuing a career in ENT? I was drawn to otolaryngology because of the breadth and variety of pathology and surgical procedures within the field. I also value the long-term relationships we are able to build with our patients.
What intrigued you about the IU School of Medicine? IU stood out to me because of its outstanding clinical volume and the complexity of cases that trainees encounter. The faculty are exceptional educators who are deeply committed to our growth. I also heard that it’s a great area to raise my three kids!
Why did you choose your fellowship subspecialty? I love the complexity within neurotology and the ability to restore hearing. I am also passionate about research, and the inner ear remains an area with tremendous opportunities for discovery and innovation.
What do you want to learn most from the faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology? During fellowship, I hope to continue refining my clinical judgment and surgical skills. I am excited to learn from everyone at IU as I work towards my goal of becoming a surgeon-scientist!
