Work

Is there sufficient undergraduate interest in head and neck surgery to cover the future disease burden?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objectives In recent years, there has been a significant disparity between workforce capacity and clinical demand in surgical specialities, including head and neck surgery (HNS). Our objective was to assess final-year medical student interest in pursuing a career in HNS. Methods An online survey was distributed via social media and was completed by 633 final-year medical students across seven United Kingdom (UK) universities. Results A total of 66.7 per cent (n = 422) had 1–7 days of exposure to HNS. Complex surgery (24.2 per cent), interesting patient population (20.2 per cent) and complex pathology (16.7 per cent) were the main motivators to consider HNS. Work–life balance (23.8 per cent), lack of exposure (31.3 per cent) and length of training (6.5 per cent) were the most common deterrants. A total of 67.1 per cent of students reported inadequate exposure to the field during undergraduate training. Conclusion The undergraduate curriculum must place more emphasis on HNS to accommodate increasing disease burden amid a limited workforce capacity within the National Health Service.

Source: The Journal of Laryngology & Otology

DOI: 10.1017/s0022215125000660

Authors: Umar Rehman, Shireen Gohari, Umar Shafiq, Mohammad Sohaib Sarwar, Pinky May, Peter A Brennan