The Israeli Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Society represents our profession in the Israeli medical society and in the health ministry and the Knesset (parliament), as required. Secondly, the Society is in charge of the six-year residency programme in over 20 hospitals across the country. Within the Society, there are specific sub-societies (rhinology, laryngology, facial plastics and pediatrics), while the head and neck and ototneurology groups are independent, yet closely related. I believe our profession in Israel is quite unique in several ways:
- There are many resident training centres (and over 150 residents in training) for a population of only 10,000,000.
- Most of our consultants are well trained in fellowship programmes of one-to-three years in North America, Europe and Australia.
- We are strong in clinical and basic research.
- There is a very close relationship with the otolaryngology community. Many of the community physicians work part-time in the hospital and vice versa.
