Professor Rudolf Probst, Chairman and Director of the ORL Department of the University of Basel has been appointed to the University ORL Chair and as Director of the University ORL Department in Zürich, starting with 1. August 2006. He is also the Founding President of ORL-BAL. Born in 1950, Rudolf Probst was appointed in Basel in 1991. Continuing the long tradition of the Basel Department, which was directed by famous otologists in the past (F. Siebenmann, E. Oppikofer, E. Lüscher and C.R. Pfaltz), he greatly favoured research in the fields of audiology and neurotology, tutoring several important projects fostered by the Swiss National Fund. Cochlear implant and vestibular schwannoma surgery were introduced and developed, a number of specialists were trained in this field and also sent abroad on fellowships. Modern Paedaudiology and Phoniatry were introduced, cooperation with all the hospitals of the BAL Association was instituted and intense CME programmes realised. As long-time President of the Audiology Commission of the Swiss ORL- HNS Society, he has instituted standards in hearing aid fitting and for audiometry equipment in the country. Besides having an enviable publications list, he is active member of several societies, including the Collegium ORLAS. Outstanding traits of Rudolf Probst‘s personality are his scientific, logical and straightforward way of thinking as well as his outgoing and affable character. Members of the ORL-BAL, most of them being also his personal friends of long standing, very much regret his departure, but trust that his continuing membership in the Society of Friends of ORL (Förderverein für ORL) within ORL-BAL also stands for a new and fruitful cooperation between the Zürich Department and the four member institutions of ORL-BAL. See also picture in our Gallery.
