Ear, Nose and Throat Conditions Can’t Be Overlooked

Growing up, Dr. Flavio Oliveira didn’t have any plans to become a doctor—until there was a serious health problem in his family.

Dr. Oliveira is a new member of the Washington Township Medical Foundation (WTMF) community in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery or more commonly referred to as Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT).

“I grew up without any role models in medicine, so I didn’t consider becoming a physician earlier in life," Dr. Oliveira recalled. “But later when my parents became seriously ill, I became very involved in their care. I took up the responsibility of medical decision-maker for our family. That gave me a window to the field of medicine. Seeing the impact that physicians could have led me to pursue medicine as a career.”

After earning his PhD at University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Oliveira graduated from University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at Stanford University and was a chief resident.

As a Bay Area resident for more than 20 years, Dr. Oliveira was happy to join WTMF. “I love serving this community and I feel privileged to be able to do so,” he said. “My goal is to always provide exceptional medical care. I was fortunate to train at some of the world's leading institutions here in the Bay Area.”

He continues, “To maintain the highest level of excellence, I am dedicated to continuous learning to ground my decisions in the latest scientific evidence. Each patient has their unique journey, which is why a cornerstone of my approach is investing time in patient education and clear communication to enable truly shared decisions about their care.”

Otolaryngologists specialize in head and neck problems ranging from sinus disease to tumors. Dr. Oliveira treats both adults and children in the whole gamut of problems involving the head and neck. Many of these conditions may require surgery, including thyroid nodules and cancer, diseases of the salivary glands, cancers of the head and neck, sinus ailments such as sinusitis, and nasal obstruction and obstructive sleep apnea in patients who do not tolerate CPAP therapy.

Dr. Oliveira said reasons vary why new patients come to see him, but his deep sense of responsibility to each is the same.

“I approach every patient interaction with the same level of compassion, empathy, and attentiveness that I would extend to my closest family members.”

When he is not seeing patients, Dr. Oliveira stays active with his wife and two young sons. He enjoys playing sports with his boys. He is a former professional athlete and collegiate-level coach. He also enjoys traveling, especially to mountain areas, having been to the Mount Everest region, along with Mount Sinai and Mount Fuji. After earning his PhD, Dr. Oliveira worked within the tech industry on engineering and product development teams at Google and Facebook. He continues to be involved in innovation in health and medical technologies with a focus on improving the lives of patients.

To learn more about the ENT services at WTMF, visit www.mywtmf.com/services/ear-nose-throat/.