As Global Ambassador for Australasia, I'm honoured to represent the specialty of ORL-HNS for ENT & Audiology News.
ENT & Audiology News is a unique journal which reaches most of the corners of the world and it is an opportunity for our specialty from Australasia to share the experiences and other news to the rest of the world through this prestigious journal.
Currently my practice is in University affiliated Tertiary Hospital and in private sector. Otolaryngology and head and neck surgery is served in Australia and New Zealand, with over 500 surgeons in Australia with a population of about 25 million people; and 130 otolaryngologists in New Zealand with a population of five million. There are, however, still some places in need where otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons are required. A good number of our workforce is dependent on Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMG).
The usual route to specialist training is via the five-year training programme administered by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and the specialty society boards of ASOHNS and NZSOHNS. The Specialist International Medical Graduates are evaluated by the respective medical councils and RACS before they are accepted to practise in Australia and New Zealand.
All major subspecialties are represented and there is a mix of public hospital and private practice as well as full-time practitioners and academicians.
There is a good number of organisations affiliated to RACS, ASOHNS and NZSOHNS that encourage research in ORL-HNS and fund the projects. Some of these are ‘Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation’ and ‘Linsell Richards Education Foundation’.
Over $70 million has been made available for research, fellowship training, surgeon-scientist trainees, and academic chairs, leading to world-class clinical and research outcomes for Australia and New Zealand over the last 30 years.
I am sure we’ll stay connected through this global programme of ENT & Audiology News with our colleagues from the other parts of the world.
