Large Language Models and Otolaryngology

LLMs hold significant promise to enhance biomedical research and patient care. Otolaryngology, with its rich clinical, functional, and multimodal data, is well positioned to benefit from these tools. However, progress requires moving beyond feasibility studies toward clinical trial–like validation and implementation research. Future efforts should prioritize open-source model development, domain-specific fine-tuning, secure multi-institutional deployment, and legal oversight to ensure transparency, reproducibility, and generalizability. By aligning with advancements in other specialties, otolaryngology can leverage its unique resources to pioneer responsible LLM applications that improve efficiency, augment decision support, and transform patient outcomes.

Corresponding Author: Matthew A. Shew, MD, Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8115, St Louis, MO 63110 (mshew@wustl.edu).

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