ENTtoday Debuts SUO Corner: The landscape of graduate medical education (GME) is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by an increased emphasis on outcomes, accountability, standardization, and equity. In otolaryngology, these shifts have highlighted the spectrum of educational resources and faculty available in different residency programs, as well as the differences in how trainees are taught, assessed, and prepared for independent practice.
A “great bedside manner” is a difficult entity to quantify or define—it is akin to the old saw of “I will know it when I see it”; however, we can identify many elements of what patients have indicated are part of its fabric and presentation. The bedside manner, as viewed over the centuries, is a changing construct, with generational considerations, and is subject to new environments in medical diagnoses and treatments.
‘Physician, heal thyself” is an ancient proverb encouraging the importance of examining one’s own professional identity, strengths, and limitations to better serve patients. But if you’re an otolaryngologist contemplating a mid-career change, “Physician, know thyself” may be a better guidepost for finding the best match for your personal needs and professional talents.
Such self-awareness was one of several tools ENT physicians cited during a panel on mid-career transitions held during The Triological Society’s 2025 Combined Sections Meeting in Orlando, Fla.
Prior authorization (PA) reform has been a long time coming. Will we finally start to see some changes with the passage of the Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act of 2025, the finalization of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule in January 2024, the introduction of provider gold cards and payer scorecards, and a shift to electronic authorization systems?
ENS represents one of the more complex conditions in otolaryngology, characterized by the paradoxical feeling of nasal obstruction despite objectively patent airways. In addition to the feeling of severe nasal obstruction—one patient called it “suffocating with every breath”—patients also report dryness, burning, and crusting. The quality-of-life impact can be so great that some patients travel the world seeking multiple consultations and revision surgeries.
We should consider our patients as more than just cases. They are people whose lives will be forever impacted by nerve loss, who will have lifelong issues with eating, speaking, and expressing themselves.
This July editorial ENTtoday editor, Robin W. Lindsay, MD, decided to focus instead on physician wellness and the importance of taking some time off away from work to recharge, refocus, connect with friends and family outside of work, and focus on self-care. More on the other topics over the next few months.
Scan the literature on transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) and you’ll find a host of benefits for the procedure when it is compared with its microscope-guided counterpart, including enhanced visualization, superior training, and reduced post-operative complications, to name just a few. Coupled with recent equipment advances, such as thinner, more flexible endoscopes and ones that combine cutting and suctioning for enhanced bleeding control, it’s clearly an exciting time for TEES.
In the fall of 2024, artificial intelligence-powered ambient scribe technology was rolled out across the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) health system, allowing otolaryngologists and other clinicians to transcribe conversations with patients into text with just a click of a button.
Clinical trials focus on OTOF-associated hearing loss, but other genes identified as appealing next targets