From sinusitis to ear infections, many common conditions treated in clinical practice are managed by ear, nose, and throat physicians, also known as ENTs. An ENT doctor may also be called an otolaryngologist, because ENT medicine is formally known as otolaryngology.
What is an ENT doctor? ENTs are physicians trained to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat, including allergies and sinus disorders. Conditions affecting the ear, nose, and throat are common in clinical medicine. In addition to managing routine concerns, ENTs are trained to address complex disorders that may significantly impact patient health and quality of life.
ENTs are physicians who complete specialized residency training in otolaryngology to treat conditions of the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck. Let’s examine the areas in which they apply this training.
Ears: ENTs are trained to diagnose and manage conditions such as imbalance, ear infections, hearing loss, tinnitus, nerve pain, and cranial nerve disorders. Treatment may include medical management or surgical intervention, depending on the patient’s needs.
Nose: Through their residency training, ENT physicians develop expertise in managing nasal allergies and chronic sinusitis. Their training also includes surgical procedures of the nose and sinuses to improve breathing and function.
Throat: ENTs are trained to evaluate and treat swallowing and speech disorders, as well as cancers of the throat and conditions involving the esophagus.
Head and Neck: ENT physicians manage conditions in the head and neck region, including tumors and traumatic injuries. Their surgical training includes reconstructive and plastic procedures, as well as management of thyroid and parathyroid disorders.
ENT physicians who pursue surgical subspecialty training may perform advanced procedures such as microsurgery of the middle ear to preserve hearing. They also manage head, neck, and throat cancers through tumor removal and reconstructive surgery, including procedures for congenital conditions or trauma-related damage.
Through their clinical and surgical training, ENTs address nasal and airway conditions that contribute to sleep disorders. Surgical correction may reduce or eliminate sleep apnea.
Some ENT physicians complete additional training to specialize in pediatric otolaryngology, focusing on conditions affecting infants and children.
Some ENT physicians pursue academic pathways, combining clinical practice with research and medical education at universities.
There are many ways in which ENTs apply their medical and surgical training, offering diverse subspecialty pathways within otolaryngology.
ENT education requirements involve several steps. First, you must become a physician by graduating from an accredited medical school, such as Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM)*. The path to a medical degree at RUSM, which is located on the Caribbean island of Barbados, is similar to that of at United States-based schools: two years of medical science classes and two years of hands-on clinical training, though there is some flexibility on timing. For RUSM students, the medical sciences curriculum is completed at the Barbados campus; the clinical training can be completed at affiliated teaching hospitals in the United States.
During clinical training, RUSM students complete core rotations in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, family medicine, obstetrics/ gynecology, and psychiatry. Each individual student, then, selects from among dozens of specialty elective clerkships to fulfill their clinical requirements.
During the fourth and final year of medical school, students prepare for the next phase of their medical education: residency. At RUSM, the Office of Career Advisement (OCA) can help students determine which residency specialty—such as otolaryngology—suits them best. The OCA also helps students negotiate the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®)—a placement system which medical students who wish to become licensed in the United States use to “match” with a medical residency in the United States. A clinical ENT residency is five years, while research ENT residencies may run six years or more. In 2021, RUSM had a first-time residency attainment rate of 92 percent for 2020-2021 graduates, a rate comparable with the overall match rate (93 percent) for medical schools in the United States.
After completing ENT training, a physician may be certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS). The medical association that represents ENT doctors is called the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). With additional training, ENT physicians may subspecialize in a specific area of otolaryngology. These subspecialties include:
Now that you understand the education and residency pathway required to become an ENT, prepare yourself for the challenge and get all the necessary application materials in place. Then apply for admission to RUSM to start your journey.
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