When Glenn Peters, M.D., thinks about what inspired him to get into medicine, he does not hesitate to provide an answer.

“My motivation to get into the medical field was largely driven by my grandfather, who was a primary care physician in Baton Rouge,” Peters said. “I used to go on rounds with him when I was young and sit with him in his office. We had a farm; we raised horses together. He played a big role in my life.”

From the time he knew he was going to become a doctor in roughly the seventh grade, to now—as professor emeritus in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, a group he led while it was being established—Peters has led a career marked by a dedication to strong leadership, skilled mentorship, and specialized clinical care in the field of otolaryngology.

Beginnings at UAB

Peters came to UAB in 1980 for an otolaryngology residency after completing medical school at Louisiana State University. He said it was ENT rotations in medical school that helped him gravitate toward the field.

“ENT is a very anatomically oriented specialty, and that really appealed to me,” Peters said.

Although he had multiple residency prospects, he said choosing UAB was an easy decision.

“I came up to visit UAB and was just amazed at the facilities up here,” Peters said. “And for me, it was a no-brainer to come to UAB for my residency.”

Peters trained under James Hicks, M.D., and Julius Hicks, M.D., both of whom were involved in office-based practices at the time. At a time when faculty specializing in otolaryngology were few at UAB, much of Peters’ training was conducted by senior-level residents.

After graduating from residency, Peters jumped right into a clinical faculty position—a year before the Division of Otolaryngology was established under the Department of Surgery in 1985.

“I kind of laugh at the fact that I was a resident on Friday and faculty on Monday.”

From residency to leadership

Peters served on the faculty from 1984 to 1985 and then left for a fellowship in head and neck oncologic surgery at Johns Hopkins University from 1986 to 1987. When he returned to the UAB Otolaryngology faculty in 1987, he was one of three faculty members—a number that largely remained the same until the time he became director of the Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and John S. Odess Endowed Chair in 1992.

“As division director, I went on a pretty big hiring campaign,” Peters said, adding that the faculty hired reflected various specialty areas of the field. Peters himself eventually transitioned from traditional head and neck oncology to focus on head and neck endocrine surgery.

“I think so much of academic medicine involves a kind of revolving door of faculty going to various institutions throughout their careers, and I was very proud of the fact that our faculty was very stable,” Peters said. “And to a large degree, we're able to develop very successful academic careers for the long term at UAB.”

While serving as division director, Peters also served as director of the otolaryngology residency program.

“Hiring good residents was a reflection on the program,” Peters said of his focus in that role. Throughout his career, Peters has been credited with mentoring numerous residents and fellows within the program, who are now practicing throughout the state and beyond, and guiding them to become exceptional contributors to the field of otolaryngology.

Reflecting on his own clinical career in the field of otolaryngology, Peters notes that he has witnessed significant technological advancements over the decades.

“It's evolved immensely over the 40 years,” Peters said. “Going from endoscopic sinus surgery all the way up to robotic surgery.”

A legacy of support

Peters served as division director for 20 years, until 2012, when Eben Rosenthal, M.D., assumed the role.

“I think the credit for taking us from a division to a department largely falls with Dr. Eben Rosenthal,” Peters recalled.

After stepping down as division director, Peters remained on the faculty and was appointed the Julius N. Nicks Endowed Chair in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, as well as associate chief of staff at UAB Hospital-Highlands. He retired in October 2023 and now serves as a professor emeritus in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

As a professor emeritus, Peters remains involved with the department by attending Grand Rounds weekly and participating in departmental events.

He is also involved philanthropically, as he and his wife are supporting the creation of a new endowed professorship in otolaryngology.

“That's something that I'm very proud of in the department,” Peters said of the number of endowed professor and chair opportunities the department offers.

The Allison and Glenn Peters Endowed Professorship in Otolaryngology will be used to support the department’s residency director, bringing Peters’ career full circle, allowing him to support the same role in which he once served.