05/10/2024
A few months ago, during my housemanship, I was still undecided about my specialization, though I knew it would be in surgery. I rotated through the four main departments, and surgery was my third posting. Then, I was placed in the Department of Otolaryngology. It was an incredible experience, filled with a sense of peace and strong work ethics. Those I met there weren’t just senior colleagues; they felt like friends, siblings, and even parental figures—a real family. Despite our often lengthy clinics that sometimes extended past 6 p.m., I never felt the stress. I quickly adapted, taking on significant responsibilities, including seeing patients and conducting audiologic examinations. In fact, some of the nurses in A&E thought I was a resident doctor until I clarified that I was a house officer.
Three weeks later, I was posted out of otolaryngology, but I took with me cherished memories, including a picture of us in the theatre. Otolaryngology completely captured my interest. I also thoroughly enjoyed my time in orthopedic surgery, and I wish I had been posted to neurosurgery as well, as I am fascinated by that specialty and had hoped to work with Dr. Bruno, our neurosurgeon.
After completing my house job, I wasted no time in applying for a residency in Otolaryngology. Today, I am a resident in the field—a decision I consider one of the best I’ve made this year. As I read more widely, I’ve come to appreciate the broad scope of otolaryngology, which includes subspecialties like neurotology, rhinology, head and neck surgery, pediatric otolaryngology, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, and sleep medicine. My main interests lie in head and neck surgery focus on oncology, and also neurotology, especially for cochlear implants.
I’ve also observed that specialties like general surgery sometimes overlap with otolaryngology in procedures like thyroidectomy, which, in my view, should be performed by otolaryngologists. During this short time, I’ve assisted in numerous surgeries, including tonsillectomy, adenotonsillectomy, polypectomy, antrostomy and many more.
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