| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Clinical and Medical |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Medical Superintendent |
| Direct reports | Audiologist |
| Experience | 2 to 6 years after MS, including independent ENT surgery |
ENT Specialist job description template
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Job title: ENT Specialist
Department: Clinical and Medical
Reports to: Medical Superintendent
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An ENT Specialist, or otorhinolaryngologist, treats diseases of the ear, nose, throat, head and neck. Daily work mixes a busy OPD for ear infections, hearing loss, sinusitis, tonsillitis and voice problems with operations such as tonsillectomy, septoplasty, endoscopic sinus surgery and ear surgery. ENT specialists also handle emergencies like nosebleeds, foreign bodies and airway obstruction. A good ENT surgeon examines thoroughly with endoscopes, operates safely and works closely with the audiologist on hearing care.
Key responsibilities
- Examine OPD patients with otoscopy, nasal endoscopy and laryngoscopy, and diagnose ear, nose, throat and neck conditions.
- Treat ear infections, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, tonsillitis and voice disorders with medicines, procedures or surgery as the case needs.
- Plan hearing aids or surgery for hearing loss after reviewing audiometry and tympanometry results with the audiologist.
- Perform tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, septoplasty, functional endoscopic sinus surgery, tympanoplasty and mastoid surgery.
- Handle ENT emergencies such as heavy nosebleeds, foreign bodies, deep neck infections and upper airway obstruction.
- Perform tracheostomy in emergencies and for long-term ventilated ICU patients, and train nurses in tracheostomy care.
- Evaluate neck lumps, thyroid swellings and suspected head and neck cancers, and refer to oncology after biopsy.
- Assess babies and children referred after a failed hearing screen, and counsel parents on early intervention.
- Explain the operation, risks and recovery to patients, take consent and review them after surgery.
- See that endoscopes and microscopes are cleaned and logged according to the hospital disinfection protocol.
Requirements
- MS or DNB in Otorhinolaryngology, or DLO
- Valid registration with the National Medical Commission or a State Medical Council
- Fellowship in otology, rhinology or head and neck surgery is an advantage
- 2 to 6 years after MS, including independent ENT surgery
KRAs and KPIs for a ENT Specialist
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| OPD service | OPD waiting time within 30 minutes, with endoscopy findings recorded for every patient examined |
| Surgical safety | Post-tonsillectomy bleeding needing return to OT below 2 percent of cases in the year |
| Emergency response | ENT emergencies seen within 30 minutes during duty hours and within 60 minutes on call |
| Hearing care | A plan made within one week for every hearing loss referral after audiology |
| Surgical volume | Elective ENT surgeries at or above the monthly department plan |
| Scope hygiene | Disinfection log complete for 100 percent of endoscopes used |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Rigid and flexible nasal endoscopes, Operating microscope, Microdebrider, Otoscope and headlight, Video laryngoscope, Audiometer and tympanometer.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Department (Clinical), Chief of Surgery
Interview questions for a ENT Specialist
- A child with repeated tonsillitis also snores and stops breathing at night. How do you decide on surgery?
- Walk me through managing a posterior nosebleed in an elderly patient on blood thinners.
- How do you counsel a patient with chronic ear discharge who fears mastoid surgery?
- When do you order a CT scan before sinus surgery?
- A patient returns bleeding a week after tonsillectomy. What do you do?
- How do you work with the audiologist on a baby who fails the newborn hearing screen?
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Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What does an ENT specialist do?
An ENT specialist diagnoses and treats diseases of the ear, nose, throat, head and neck, including ear infections, hearing loss, sinusitis, tonsillitis, voice problems and neck lumps. They perform operations such as tonsillectomy, sinus surgery and ear surgery, and manage emergencies like nosebleeds and airway blockage.
Is an ENT specialist a surgeon?
Yes. An ENT specialist holds an MS or DNB in otorhinolaryngology, which is a surgical specialty. Many conditions are treated with medicines, but ENT specialists also operate on the ear, nose, sinuses, throat and neck, from routine tonsillectomy to microscopic ear surgery.
Who does an ENT specialist report to in a hospital?
In mid-sized hospitals the ENT specialist usually reports to the medical superintendent or medical director on administration, and follows the surgical services for OT scheduling. Large hospitals have a separate ENT department whose head leads the ENT consultants and residents.