The UAB Department of Otolaryngology welcomed Daniel Rocke, M.D. to the faculty as an associate professor in September 2024.

Rocke completed his Bachelor of Arts in Biology at Taylor University. He obtained his law degree from Duke University and attended medical school at the University of Michigan with a fellowship at the University of Toronto in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology. Rocke spent nine years at Duke University doing head and neck surgical oncology with a focus on thyroid and parathyroid surgery.

Rocke shares his enthusiasm for his new role and what he hopes to bring to the department.

What is your primary area of expertise within your field, and what sparked your passion for it?

Rocke: My primary expertise is in head and neck endocrine surgery and minimally-invasive surgical techniques. I love the patients and the surgeries.

What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?

Rocke: I love the patients and I love doing surgery! Thyroid and parathyroid surgery is different every time, and it requires a lot of skill to do it well. I love the challenge of this field and how things have advanced even since I started practicing nine years ago. There is a lot of cool technology that is changing things for the better for our patients. There are great diagnostic tests that allow us to reassure many patients and not do surgery. There are up and coming technologies like radiofrequency ablation that will allow us to treat many patients non-surgically. And when we do surgery, minimally-invasive techniques allow us to do surgery in a way that minimizes scars and discomfort for patients.

What aspects of your new role here are you most excited about?

Rocke: I’m really excited about continuing to develop technologies that will improve patient outcomes and make treatment easier for patients.

What are your goals for making an impact through both your teaching and patient care in this role?

Rocke: I hope to inspire residents and fellows to take great care of head and neck endocrine surgery patients through clinical teaching and advancing diagnostic and surgical techniques.