Health Service Categories and Careers

A-Z OF SERVICES

Otolaryngology is the medical and surgical speciality concerned with the ears, nose, throat and related structures of the head and neck. It studies related anatomy, physiology and pathology and involves clinical assessment and management, pharmacology, and a range of therapeutic and surgical procedures which help patients with these conditions, including traumatic and emergency conditions, cancers, congenital conditions, or elective conditions. Physicians can develop expertise in an area of interest including: otology, rhinology, head and neck, thyroid and parathyroid, laryngology, or paediatric otolaryngology. Otolaryngology services are provided in emergency, inpatient, outpatient, and elective surgical departments in hospitals and private clinics. Services involve multi-disciplinary teams and collaboration of care between medical specialists, such as the Otolaryngologist and the Plastic/reconstructive surgeon.

Otolaryngology Jobs

Otolaryngologists specialise in diagnosing and treating patients with disorders affecting the ears, nose, throat, head and neck. They work with patients who present with conditions like ear infections, hearing loss or tinnitus, sinus pain, face and head injuries, tonsilitis, nasal or airway obstruction, sleep apnoea, disorders of the salivary or thyroid glands, head and neck cancer, or recurring infections. They provide specialist care in hospitals and private clinics. They consult with patients, undertake assessments and diagnostic investigations, and provide surgical and non-surgical clinical management and treatment of conditions, including emergency conditions as well as elective conditions. They perform a range of surgical procedures, such as reconstructive surgery for a patient suffering facial trauma from an accident, or septoplasty to align a congenital deviated septum and improve breathing. They also perform aspects of cosmetic plastic surgery and collaborate with other surgeons. At this senior level, Otolaryngologists train junior doctors and registrars, provide clinical leadership, work in multi-disciplinary teams and undertake research activities. They often specialise in an area of interest, such as otology, rhinology, head and neck, thyroid and parathyroid, laryngology, paediatric otolaryngology, or general otolaryngology. To pursue a career in this surgical field, doctors can enter Otolaryngology training at either ST1 or ST3 level, after completing foundation, core training, and/or core surgical training. Otolaryngology training takes approximately 5-6 years and leads to a CCT and specialist registration with the GMC.