arent there any otolaryngologists??

[H_L_ctf]

hi everyone!!
i havent seen any otolaryngologists or students who study in this speciality here my target is to study this speciality and i'd like to hear some advice...what r the advantages and disadvantages??could anyone tell about ENT??

[Hal100]

hi mate
I too am looking into surgical specialties and ENT looks appealing.
Are you qualified or still at med school?
I've just finished my first year of med school and am on the long summer holidays now!!

[H_L_ctf]

hi!
im pleased to see u i finished my 2d year and now its holiday time for me too..
i looked for the speacialists for ENT but there r still no answers
have a nice holiday ...

[James]

ENT is a great specialty. It is interesting, with a good mix of medicine and surgery. You also get to play with very cool expensive gadgets when operating. On-calls are generally light compared to other surgical specialties, but when you are needed (think the nosebleed scene from Cardiac Arrest) you are THE MAN! There is also decent private practice and it is fairly woman/family friendly.

There is one main downside, that is essentially all the points I have made above. ENT is the most competitive surgical specialty in the states and becoming so in the UK. To get in you will have to be super committed and prepared to put up with a lot of crap before you get there.

[H_L_ctf]

really thanx for the informations and recommendations
ENT is great!...i think so..

[Hal100]

The ability to combine medicine with surgery is really appealing I reckon.

Although, knowing a lot of people who say ENT is all about wax, snot and mucus, I'm surprised at its popularity lol

Watched a parotidectomy in theartre one time..that's the only ENT procedure I've seen...really cool how the guy managed to salvage the facial nerve n stuff

[Hal100]

ENT is a great specialty. It is interesting, with a good mix of medicine and surgery. You also get to play with very cool expensive gadgets when operating. On-calls are generally light compared to other surgical specialties, but when you are needed (think the nosebleed scene from Cardiac Arrest) you are THE MAN! There is also decent private practice and it is fairly woman/family friendly.

There is one main downside, that is essentially all the points I have made above. ENT is the most competitive surgical specialty in the states and becoming so in the UK. To get in you will have to be super committed and prepared to put up with a lot of crap before you get there.

James..you graduated or still at med school?
Done much ENT experience? I've done none! I am still only a 2nd year though i guess though...
Are you considering ENT?

[James]

I'm a registrar in another specialty, I trained down the medical route, so ENT was never an option. I have a number of friends trying to get into or recently appointed in ENT. From everything they have told me it would definitely be my choice if I was surgically inclined (which I am not!)

[Randolf_Rolm1919]

James do you mind me asking what medical speciality you're in. Also due to the fact I saw your post in other specialty areas in this forum do you know how family friendly (in terms of little on-calls, time to have a persona life) and job availability pathology (Histopathology in particular), General Practice, General Surgery and Anesthetics all have?

I'd like to know the years of training required too, if possible.

Many thanks

[Tiny]

I passed my finals recently, and everything I have done to date in medical school...and I mean everything, has been ENT related. All my special study components were on ENT subjects, and so was my recent 12 week project option, which I am hoping to get published and presented nationally. ENT is brilliant as pointed out. There are some boring areas (otology) and some very interesting areas (skull based neurosurgery i.e. pituitary and acoustic neuroma surgery). It is for this reason, as well as a mix of paeds and general medicine that I have decided this is the career path I want to take. I have worked in ENT as a scientist, and also have a BSc and MSc in medical imaging...and even then....I am not a sufficiently stand out candidate. Let's put it this way...last year there were 3 posts in the west midlands, with 100 applicants, which made it more competitive than neurosurgery and plastics. For this reason, I have been told publications play a key role..so my F1 and F2 posts are in academic medicine..to allow me to be able to get 2-3 publications during a 3 month rotation (normally difficult to do in your spare time as a normal F1). I have spoken to a few surgeons and they think that the best thing to do is do the MRCS pt 1 in F1 and pt 2 in F2 (yes I know it sounds like alot...but it's about standing out from the rest). I have also been advised to do the DOHNS exam in F2 too. Right now, you;re early into your medical career, but i you do get into theatres, and assist...make a note of all the procedures so you can validate it at an interview stage...experience is everything.