4 Terrace Road
Bournemouth
BH2 5EL
Niamh Gibson, CT1 Southampton General Hospital, UK
Following a warm welcome from AOT President, Ali Shaladi, the conference opened with a lecture from Professor Shahed Quraishi, founder of ENT Masterclass. Prof Quraishi reflected on the origins of the platform in 2005, describing how a desire to provide free, high-quality ENT education led to the development of what is now a globally-recognised educational resource. One not to miss!
A highlight of the morning was a friendly debate between consultants representing the major ENT subspecialties, each making the case for why their field offered the most rewarding career path. Matthew Ward for head and neck surgery, Amonoo-Koufi represented paediatric ENT, Simon Dennis spoke on rhinology and Seb Thomas advocated for otology. The discussion provided an honest insight into the realities, opportunities and challenges of modern ENT practice. 
An afternoon update from Charlie Hall, chair of the Specialty Advisory Committee, Ashok Rokade, president of the British Rhinological Society, addressed developments in rhinology training and service provision. Discussion centred on the reduction of NHS-funded rhinology procedures within the Wessex region and the implications for surgical training opportunities. Mr Hall also addressed the competitive nature of ST3 recruitment and acknowledged the frustrations experienced by applicants who met the interview threshold but were not offered interviews.
Artificial intelligence emerged as a recurring theme throughout the programme. Annabel Hill was awarded Best Oral Presentation for ‘Shifting Care to the Left: AI Voice Triage to Improve Efficiency in Suspected Head and Neck Cancer Pathways’, exploring an AI-assisted tool to prioritise patients referred with a hoarse voice on the two-week wait pathway and reduce pressure on cancer clinics. 
The conference also offered practical breakout sessions covering interview and examination preparation for trainees at all stages. The final keynote lecture, delivered by Katrina Mason, paediatric ENT consultant at Evelina London and medical director at Ufonia, explored the intersection between clinical practice, artificial intelligence and industry, highlighting how clinicians can combine a consultant role with innovation and entrepreneurship.
Overall, the conference successfully combined educational content, career guidance and networking opportunities. The prominence of artificial intelligence reflected the rapidly-evolving landscape of healthcare innovation, while discussions around training challenges demonstrated AOT’s commitment to supporting the next generation of ENT surgeons. The welcoming atmosphere and strong trainee engagement made this a memorable meeting, and I am very much looking forward to next year’s conference.
