Otolaryngology: Open Access
Open Access

An otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon is a Doctor of Medicine who specializes in disorders of the head and neck, particularly those disorders related to the ears, nose and throat. The word “oto-rhinolaryngology” comes from the Greek words – “oto” for ear, “rhino” for nose and “larynx” for throat [1].

Over the years, otolaryngology has expanded its area of expertise from the ears, nose and throat to a “regional” specialty of the head and neck and includes sub specialization in otology, neurology, rhinology, sinus disease, laryngology, plastic surgery of the head and neck, tumor and cancer surgery of the head and neck, pediatric otolaryngology and allergic disorders of the upper respiratory system [2, 3].

You’ll treat people of all ages with a wide range of diseases which is what makes being an ENT surgeon so interesting and rewarding. You’ll see more children than most other surgeons apart from those in pediatrics.

You’ll treat conditions that affect the senses such as hearing and balance disorders or smell and taste problems. You’ll also treat patients with conditions that affect their voice, breathing and swallowing as well as those with head and neck tumors [4].

ENT has possibly the widest range of operations of any specialty. You could treat ear conditions such as hearing loss, childhood ‘glue ear’ (where the middle ear is blocked with fluid), dizziness, ear infections and perforated ear drums.

You’ll treat nose conditions such as sinus infections, nasal injuries, tumors and disorders of the sense of smell and throat conditions ranging from tonsillitis through breathing problems to cancers of the mouth or throat.

You’ll also be involved in facial cosmetic surgery, for example on ears and noses and facial reconstruction following trauma or cancer. You will work closely with a range of other specialists including plastic surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons and ophthalmologists [5-7].

You will spend a higher proportion of your time in outpatient clinics seeing day cases and less time in surgery than other surgeons. You will not be on-call as much as in other surgical specialties, making it easier to achieve a work-life balance.

You will make use of the latest technology including robots and lasers to treat patients which often means minimally invasive surgery and faster recovery times. Advances in care mean than you can often deliver life-changing treatment, for example helping a profoundly deaf person gain a sense of hearing and sound for the first time after cochlear implant surgery [8].

The Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology provides a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment program for all diseases involving the ear, nose or throat. Ear surgery, placement of ear tubes, removal of tonsils and adenoids and sinus surgery are performed. Special testing for nasal and Eustachian tube function, as well as audio logic examinations, is available. The office also makes arrangements for patients needing any type of ear, nose or throat surgery.

Must having Skills

Excellent communication skills to manage a wide range of relationships with colleagues, and patients and their families, emotional resilience, a calm temperament and the ability to work well under pressure, teamwork and the capacity to lead multidisciplinary teams, problem-solving and diagnostic skills, outstanding organizational ability and effective decision-making skills, first-class time and resource management for the benefit of patients, a high degree of manual dexterity, superb hand-eye co-ordination, excellent vision, and visuospatial awareness, physical stamina to cope with the demands of surgery [9, 10].

Acknowledgement

None

Conflict of Interest

None

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