The
History of The Rontal Clinic.
The Rontal Clinic has a long and rich history dating back to 1939 when I. Jerome
Hauser, a graduate of the University of Michigan Otolaryngology residency program,
opened an office in Detroit. Dr. Hauser built his practice until the outbreak
of World War II when he entered the United States Army where he distinguished
himself as a general medical officer.
At the end of the war, Dr. Hauser returned to Detroit where he began rebuilding
his practice with his brother-in-law, Dr. Herbert Bloom, an oral surgeon. Drs.
Hauser and Bloom developed a landmark head and neck practice on Pallister and
Third Avenue, across from the Fisher building.
Dr. Hauser was instrumental in the formation and construction of Sinai Hospital
in northwest Detroit. He eventually became the Chief of Staff at Sinai. During
the next thirty years he practiced with three other surgons, Drs. Irving Blatt,
Martin Trotsky, and Alan Zane. Dr. Blatt moved to Louisiana to pursue other professional
interests. Dr. Trotsky practiced with Dr. Hauser for 15 years. Dr. Zane returned
to Corpus Christi in 1973, a place he fell in love with during his tour in the
Navy.
In 1972 two brothers, Michael and Eugene Rontal, joined Dr. Hauser
in practice. Both had interned at Sinai Hospital before pursuing their
otolaryngology training
elsewhere. Michael trained at Washington University in St. Louis under Dr.
Joseph Ogura, a renowned and innovative cancer surgeon. From there,
Dr. Michael Rontal
entered the U.S. Army as the chief of the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at
Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. After two years he returned to Detroit
to enter practice.
Dr. Eugene Rontal left Detroit for Minneapolis to train at the University
of Minnesota under Dr. Michael Paperella, a distinguished ear surgeon. The
University
of Minnesota was also known for cutting-edge work in endoscopy, head and
neck cancer surgery, and trauma surgery. Upon completing residency, Dr. Eugene
Rontal
returned to Detroit and joined the Hauser Clinic also.
After three years in practice, Drs. Rontal and Hauser were joined in practice
by Dr. H. John Jacob. Also a native Detroiter, Dr. Jacob trained at Wayne
State University. He brought an interest in cosmetic surgery to the practice.
He was
active in the practice until his untimely death in 1995.
In 2004, Dr. Jan Akervall joined the Rontal Clinic. Trained at the University
Hospital in Lund, Sweden and at the University of Michigan, Dr. Akervall
brings a vast knowledge of the treatment of head and neck cancer and reconstruction
of surgical defects. He brings this training as well as an academic interested
in the causes, detection and treatment of both early and advanced cancers.
In 2005, Dr. Daniel Rontal finished his training at the University of Michigan
and joined the Rontal Clinic. Though he was trained broadly in all areas
of Ear, Nose and Throat, Dr. Daniel Rontal has a particular interest in sinus
diseases
and voice diseases. His academic accomplishments have included research in
inner ear embryology and tissue engineering for surgical reconstruction.
Despite the change in name, the Rontal Clinic upholds the principles established
by Dr. Hauser. We are proud to serve our patients with state-of-the-art care
in a convenient setting. We continue to pursue our academic interests and
contribute to the body of medical science.