Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

Otolaryngologists or ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors are specialists who diagnose, treat and manage conditions of the ear, nose and throat, as well as related areas of the head and neck.

Minimum Time to Completion: 7 years from graduation

Details

How to Apply

Eligibility Requirements

For general eligibility requirements, applicants must:

Register with RACS.
Complete the “Operating with Respect” eLearning module.
Have permanent residency or have citizenship of Australia or New Zealand at the time of registration.
Have general (unconditional) registration in Australia or registered within the general scope of practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Have successfully completed the RACS Hand Hygiene Learning Module from Hand Hygiene Australia since 1 January 2014
Successful completion of the GSSE

ENT-specific Eligibility Requirements:

10 weeks in Otorhinolaryngology / Head and Neck surgical rotation
20 weeks in other surgical rotations
8 weeks ED
8 weeks ICU
completion of “Selection Eligibility Form” – needs consultant signoff
8 referees (surgical consultants) with minimum 2 ENT surg; 4 non-surgical referees inc at least 1 NUM

Application Process

The selection process uses three selection tools, each contributing a weighted score as:

Structured Curriculum Vitae 20%
Structured Referee Reports 40%
Semi-Structured Interview 40%

The CV will be scored out of a maximum 18 points of the following:

Surgical experience (6 points)
Qualifications (5 points)
Presentations (2 points)
Publications (4 points)
Rural origin (1 point)

Applicants must score a minimum of 50% for the structured curriculum vitae to be eligible. A ranking according to a combined score for the structured curriculum vitae and reference report will determine semi-structured interview eligibility.

The number of applicants interviewed will be based on estimated number of positions available in 2023.

The intake for the SET program in the 2022 year was: 16

Program Structure

Compulsory 6 months paeds surg, 6 months head/neck surg
Placements / Courses / Research / Assessments; managed by ASOHNS

Clinical Exam – must be passed within first 2 years of training – max 4 attempts
Specialty Surgical Exam in OHNS (120 MCQs, 2.5 hours) – may be attempted at same time as GSSE.
Must be passed within first 2 years of first rotation/research. Max 4 attempts

Competency-based (Novice / Intermediate / Competent) – trainees need to meet requirements to progress.

Fees

Annual Fee:

ASOHNS Member Fee: AUD $1425-$1520; $365 joining fee
SET training fee: AUD $3590 for RACS + $525 for OHNS

Exam Fee:

GSSE: AUD $4,315.00
Clinical / OSCEs: AUD $3,270.00
Specialty Surgical Sciences exam: AUD $2,150.00
Fellowship exam: AUD $8,950.00

Registration Fee:

900$ AUD

Useful Resources / Courses / Conferences

ASSET Course (Australia and NZ Surgical Skills Education and Training)
CCrlSP Course (Care of the Critically ill surgical patient)
CLEAR Course (Critical Literature Evaluations and Research)
EMST Course (Early Management of Severe Trauma)
TIPS Course (Training in professional skills)
Research/Book chapters/Graduate Diploma of Surgical Anatomy/Masters/PhD

Key Information

PGY Intake Year (earliest)

PGY3

Training Duration (minimum)

5 years FTE

General Progression

Note that this represents one of the quickest routes to specialty training, and may not reflect additional HMO or unaccredited years of training.

Year 1

Internship

Year 2

Surgical HMO Year

Year 3

Commence ENT Advanced Training (PGY3+)

Part Time Option: Yes

Last Updated: January 30, 2023

The information found in this portal has been painstakingly collated by JMOs for JMOs, and is intended as a career progression guide for every aspiring JMO. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information presented on this website, but recent changes made by Specialist Medical Colleges may not be reflected in real time; please consult with the respective Specialist Medical College websites for the latest information. PMCV and JMO Victoria accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. Please feel free to contact our team with suggestions or comments via the feedback form.