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  1. Otorhinolaryngology (ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery)

    Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons diagnose, evaluate and manage diseases of the head and neck.

     

    Training usually starts with a five year first degree in medicine and two years of foundation training. You'll then do two years of core training (CT1–2), followed by four years of specialist training (ST3-6). This period of training will include completing your royal college exams. Length of training can vary according to your circumstances.
    Working hours should not exceed 48 hours a week. The working hours may sometimes extend beyond the normal working day including early mornings, evenings, weekends and on call. The basic salary ranges from £29,384 to £34,012. Once you start your specialty training as an ENT surgeon employed by the NHS, you can expect to earn a salary of at least £40,257, which can increase to between £84,559 and £114,003 as a consultant.
    You'll need excellent communication skills and be emotionally resilient, have a calm temperament and the ability to work well under pressure. You'll have the capacity to lead multidisciplinary teams and have excellent problem-solving and diagnostic skills. As an ENT surgeon, you'll have: a high degree of manual dexterity; superb hand-eye co-ordination; excellent vision; visuospatial awareness and the physical stamina to cope with the demands of surgery.
    In 2020 there were 131 applications for 23 specialty training places (a competition ratio of 5.70). You could specialise or conduct research in conditions of just the ear, nose or throat, paediatric ENT, skull base surgery or facial plastics. You could also teach medical or postgraduate students.
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