Estonian Manpower in Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Marek Metsmaa, MD Viljandi Hospital 2018

Estonia Area Total 45,227[2] km2 (17,462 sq mi) (129thd) Population  2018 estimate 1,319,133[3] (151st ) 2011 census 1,294,455[4] Density 28/km2 (72.5/sq mi) (188th) Capital and largest city Tallinn Official languages Estonian Ethnic groups (2018[1]) 68.7% Estonians 24.9% Russians 1.8% Ukrainians 0.9% Belarusians 0.6% Finns 3.1% others

General medical education in Estonia lasts for 6 years. Tartu University Medical Faculty have about 200 students in studies of medicine program on each study year (in Estonian language). Additionally, 20-40 foreign students are studying medicine in English program (mainly students from Northern countries).

During first two years students are studying pre-clinical subjects, which are followed by 3 years of clinical subjects, and 1 year of clinical internship afterwards.

Residency in Otorhinolaryngology takes 3 year and consists of studies of ENT- Head and Neck surgery (80 percent of study object) and of Anaestesiology and Emergency, Maxillofacial surgery, Audiology (2 mo). There is no fellowship on sub-specialities in Otorhinolaryngology. Study bases are Tartu University Clinic, The North Estonia Medical Centre, East-Tallinn Central Hospital

Finishing ENT residency, residents have to pass national exam, which is 100% theoretical. 

1 resident complete ENT residency in every year. At the moment we have 4 residents There are ~110 ENT specialists in Estonia It is about 1 ENT specialist per 11992 inhabitants. Most of the specialists work as outpatient physicians in public or private institutions about 40 percent of specialists are employed in hospitals as ENT-HNS surgeons.

Academic degree of the ENT specialists: 1 associate professor in ENT University Clinics.  

There is small number of immigration of ENT specialists to Estonia (mostly from Ukraine, Russia, Moldova).

Around 90 percent of ENT specialists work in public institutions, 10 percent -  in private care. It is common to work in both sectors.  Many of physicians from public services are employed on private institutions on part time job basis as well.