Alexander Straughan, MD

Alexander (Alec) Straughan, MD, is an acting instructor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Washington, where he is also completing fellowship training in the Neurorhinology-Advanced Sinus & Skull Base Surgery Fellowship. Dr. Straughan's clinical interests include chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyps, revision sinus disease, sinonasal and skull base pathology, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, disorders of smell and taste, and disorders of the lacrimal (tear duct) system.

As part of his fellowship, Dr. Straughan is developing expertise in minimally invasive endoscopic approaches to the sinuses and skull base, working alongside colleagues across otolaryngology, neurosurgery, and ophthalmology on complex sinonasal and skull base cases. His training emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration, surgical innovation, and individualized care aimed at optimizing outcomes and recovery for patients with complex sinus and skull base disease.

Dr. Straughan earned his medical degree with distinction from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He completed his residency in otolaryngology-head & neck surgery at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine, where he served as chief resident and chair of resident didactics and was elected by his peers to the ACGME Graduate Medical Education Governance Council. 

Dr. Straughan's research interests include surgical education, chronic rhinosinusitis and skull base surgical outcomes, and innovations in minimally invasive sinus and skull base surgery. He has authored more than a dozen peer-reviewed publications and has presented his research at national meetings, including the North American Skull Base Society, the American Rhinologic Society, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Rhinologic Society, and the North American Skull Base Society, and his honors include the Albert Hohmann Award for excellence in scholarly activity and the Solidarity Award from the University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.