Higher surgical training in Otolaryngology

The views of the membership of the Association of Otolaryngologists in Training (all current UK Senior Registrars and Consultants in their first year of post) were sought on topical aspects of Higher Surgical Training. 80 members (72.3%) participated. The main points to emerge were that the intercollegiate exam is unpopular. 66% feel it is neither well suited to the developing career structure nor a good assessor of trainees, 80% of Senior Registrars for whom the exam is voluntary say they will not sit it, 66% have doubts about the confidentiality of the Specialist Advisory Committee (SAC) interview and 73% felt the need for a separate faculty for Otolaryngology at the Royal College of Surgeons.