Dr Zalzal is the Chief Emeritus of the Division of Otolaryngology at Children’s National in Washington DC having led the division from 1994 till 2022. He has trained 64 fellows and many more residents over the years and is regarded as one of the leading experts on the pediatric airway and an authority in pediatric laryngotracheal reconstruction. He is the author of over 160 publications mostly dedicated to basic science and clinical research as related to pediatric laryngotracheal disorders. He has presented in over 250 national and international meetings. He served for ten years as the associate editor for JAMA- Archives of Otolaryngology Head and Neck surgery and is on the editorial review board and a reviewer for many specialty journals.

Dr. Zalzal is a member of many professional organizations, he was president of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) in 2003-2004. His awards among many include the Distinguished Service Award from the American Academy of Otolaryngology and the Gabriel F. Tucker Award from the American Laryngological Association