Manpower and the future role of otolaryngology

Much discussion has taken place in the past three years in the media and in Congress concerning the delivery of health care in the United States. Our concern is to supply manpower to deliver adequate health care, to train enough new specialists, and to encourage needed research. There is presently a debate among otolaryngologists as to the scope of their specialty. Some believe that family practitioners should receive some training in this specialty, be certified by our Board, and act as the primary otolaryngologists. The need for fully trained otolaryngologists would then be reduced radically. Otolaryngologists could be concentrated in the medical centers, where they would act as tertiary physicians. Others believe that better quality care would be delivered by fully trained otolaryngologists, and that many otolaryngologists prefer to be primary and secondary physicians. This debate must be settled quickly in order to plan our manpower pool for the future. Decisions involving future manpower needs in our specialty must be made by the otolaryngologists.