As doctors, we all have to keep learning, keep training, and sometimes re-train in areas we haven’t practiced for some time. This is part of the job, and needs to be done because our collective knowledge about diseases changes over time, new technologies and treatments come into existence, and new evidence comes to light suggesting old treatments which we thought were effective, in fact, aren’t as effective as we thought.
I try to do my part in training the next generation of ENT surgeons by carrying out research and teaching on courses. I often get asked to teach on sinus surgery courses, and am pleased to be teaching on 3 (2 national and 1 international) courses in 2016.
The great thing about teaching is that it isn’t a uni-directional process. As I prepare my talks, I get the opportunity to educate myself about the latest in my particular field, and summarise findings from latest research to my audience.
Whilst teaching on courses and being on panels at conferences, I also have the privilege of hearing talks from other faculty members (many of them highly esteemed), and am educated further from these and from discussions we have in the lecture hall, coffee break, and the pub at the end of the day!
The great thing about ENT surgeons is that everyone is nice and friendly.
Which is what makes teaching on ENT courses not only educational, but also incredibly fun.