The academic path to becoming an ENT specialist is long and demanding. It combines the acquisition of medical knowledge with the exercise of clinical skills. This specialization includes practical internships, research and - often - further training. This article explores the different stages of this adventure, which we outlined in our ENT career sheet. From your first steps in medical school to your residency years, let's take a look at the challenges of ENT studies.
General medical studies
After high school
Before entering higher education, aspiring ENT specialists must obtain a scientific baccalaureate. Once this has been completed, they can choose between two options:
- The Parcours Accès Santé Spécifique (PASS)
- Introduced in 2020 to replace the former Première Année Commune aux Études de Santé (PACES), the PASS is a year of study combining a health major with a minor from another discipline. This structure makes it possible to diversify skills and offer avenues for reorientation.
- Students are assessed on the basis of continuous assessment and final exams.
- Those who pass can go on to study in the health sector.
- Those who fail can reorient themselves towards their minor before, if they so wish, trying their luck again.
- The PASS approach reduces the pressure of the former PACES exam, while diversifying students' skills.
- The Licence with Health Access (L.AS)
- Introduced in 2020 to diversify the range of training courses available in health studies, the L.AS is a course combining any major (law, humanities, economics, etc.) with a specific health minor (biology, physiology, etc.).
- At the end of the first, second or third year, and if they have passed the minimum requirements, students can apply for health studies. They then sit specific exams. Depending on their performance, they will either be rejected or integrated into the second year of general medical studies.
- The L.AS allows students to follow a diversified pathway, favoring skills and reorientation.
General medical studies
After the PASS or L.AS (see above), general medical studies are divided into two parts:
- The Diplôme de Formation Générale en Sciences Médicales (DFGSM) : a three-year course (the PASS and L.AS count as the first) comprising theoretical courses in medical sciences and clinical placements in hospitals.
- The Diplôme de Formation Approfondie en Sciences Médicales (DFASM): a direct continuation of the DFGSM, this is a three-year course of study incorporating specialist courses and advanced internships in various hospital departments.
Externship examinations
During the final year of the second cycle, students must pass a series of exams which, depending on their results and rankings, will enable them to choose their specialty as well as their city. Here's the list:
- Épreuves dématérialisées nationales (EDN): these take place in October and account for 60% of the final grade. To pass, students must obtain a mark of at least 14/20 in theoretical knowledge useful to all doctors, regardless of their specialty.
- Objective and Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE): These are held in May and account for 30% of the final grade. They test students' ability to develop clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills. The minimum grade is 10/20.
- Academic progress grade: this continuous assessment takes into account the student's commitment, curriculum, mobility and level of English, and accounts for 10% of the final grade.
ENT specialization
Once they have completed their general medical studies, students specializing in ENT enter a five-year residency program. This course is divided into theoretical and practical training:
- Theoretical training: interns follow theoretical courses covering the various aspects of otolaryngology. They attend seminars and conferences to keep abreast of the latest advances and research in the field.
- Practical training: ENT interns take part in the work of various health departments. They carry out consultations, surgery and patient follow-up under the supervision of experienced specialists.
Finally, ENT interns must write and defend a thesis in order to obtain their doctorate. On completion of this specialization, he or she is awarded the Diplôme d'Études Spécialisées en Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie (DES). In all, it took him 11 years of study to become an ENT specialist.
Further training
After obtaining the DES and registering with the Ordre des Médecins, specialists wishing to apply for ENT jobs can continue their training to specialize in specific fields such as otology, rhinology, laryngology, ENT surgery or ENT oncology.
Skills and qualities required of an ENT specialist
Whatever their specialty, ENT specialists must possess the technical, medical and human skills and qualities needed to succeed in their field. These are imparted and passed on throughout their academic training. In particular, they must possess medical, diagnostic and surgical skills, while demonstrating curiosity, adaptability, leadership, rigor, patience and empathy. This set of skills will enable them to exercise their profession with complete peace of mind, and to deal with every case they encounter.
From the rigor of initial studies to the acquisition of specific clinical and surgical skills, each stage of the training to become an ENT specialist is crucial. They train qualified professionals capable of diagnosing and treating a wide range of conditions. Ongoing training is essential in this evolving field, ensuring that specialists remain at the cutting edge of advances. This combination of theoretical knowledge, practical experience and dedication to learning is the key to success in this exciting field.
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