Changing Lives Through Surgery

Dr. Candice Colby is an ear, nose and throat surgeon specializing in ear surgery at the McLaren Department of Otolaryngology.

What are your specialties within your field and why did you choose this career?

I am an ear, nose and throat surgeon with subspecialty training in neurotology, which is the study of conditions involving the brain, ear/hearing and dizziness/balance. This consisted of two additional years of fellowship training after the five years of residency training.

I am most passionate about giving hearing back to children and adults through different forms of ear surgery and cochlear implantation, in addition to treating chronic infections and disorders of the ear.

What does a day in your life look like for you?

I spend about half of my days seeing patients in the clinic and about half of the time performing surgeries in the operating room. I love the variety of seeing patients of all ages with different issues while in clinic and providing hands-on care in the operating room.

Can you describe an example of the life-changing work you get to play a part in?

The best part of my job is that I get to improve a patient’s quality of life on a daily basis. While often the ailments I treat patients for will not be a life-or-death situation, improving someone’s quality of life is very significant. Even if it is clearing an ear blocked with earwax or improving chronic migraines, these are some of the happiest and most appreciative patients.

Cochlear implants are certainly the most life-changing, particularly for a child who has never heard their parents’ voices, or even an elderly patient who has not been able to have a conversation with his wife without yelling in years.

How has COVID-19 affected you job?

My life and job have changed due to COVID-19 just as everyone else’s has. We take more precautions with everything we do to protect our patients, our employees and ourselves. I think there are many changes that will thankfully become permanent such as making hand-washing and sanitizing in the forefront of people’s minds.

What would you like our readers to know about you?

My life and job have changed due to COVID-19 just as everyone else’s has. We take more precautions with everything we do to protect our patients, our employees and ourselves. I think there are many changes that will thankfully become permanent such as making hand-washing and sanitizing in the forefront of people’s minds.