The course aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge of the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and principles of treatment of the main otolaryngological disorders. Students will acquire the skills required to approach the diagnostic assessment of patients presenting with ENT symptoms, recognize emergency conditions, and identify cases requiring specialist evaluation.

DETAILED LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• describe the etiopathogenesis, main signs and symptoms, and principles of treatment of the most common disorders of the ear, nose and paranasal sinuses, pharynx, larynx, and head and neck region;
• recognize the main clinical presentations of ENT disorders and formulate an appropriate diagnostic and differential diagnostic approach;
• obtain a focused medical history and interpret the main findings of the ENT physical examination;
• identify the appropriate diagnostic and instrumental investigations for the assessment of the main ENT disorders;
• recognize the main otolaryngological emergencies and establish appropriate priorities of care;
• identify warning signs and symptoms suggestive of head and neck malignancy and promptly refer patients for specialist evaluation;
• understand the general principles of medical and surgical treatment of the main ENT disorders;
• apply acquired knowledge to straightforward clinical cases and formulate an appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic pathway;
• use essential medical and specialist terminology appropriately;
• integrate otolaryngological knowledge with that of other medical and surgical disciplines in the multidisciplinary management of patients.

The course consists of theoretical lectures covering the topics included in the syllabus, together with interactive activities based on the presentation and discussion of clinical cases.

Lectures are designed to provide students with fundamental knowledge of the main otolaryngological disorders, their diagnostic assessment, and the principles of treatment.

Clinical case discussions, supported by endoscopic images, audiological tests, and diagnostic imaging, are aimed at developing students’ ability to apply acquired knowledge, formulate diagnostic hypotheses and differential diagnoses, identify appropriate diagnostic investigations, and recognize conditions requiring urgent intervention or specialist evaluation.

Attendance requirements are governed by the regulations of the Degree Programme in Medicine and Surgery.

The course covers the following topics:

• Principles of anatomy, physiology, and clinical examination of the ear, nose, throat, and head and neck region.
• Inflammatory and infectious diseases of the external, middle, and inner ear.
• Hearing loss: classification, diagnostic assessment, and principles of treatment.
• Vertigo and balance disorders: main clinical presentations and differential diagnosis.
• Inflammatory and functional disorders of the nose and paranasal sinuses: rhinitis, acute and chronic rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyposis.
• Benign and malignant neoplasms of the nose and paranasal sinuses.
• Epistaxis: diagnostic assessment and principles of management.
• Inflammatory and infectious diseases of the oral cavity, pharynx, and tonsils.
• Salivary gland disorders.
• Laryngeal disorders: dysphonia, dyspnea, and dysphagia.
• Principles of diagnosis and treatment of head and neck malignancies, with particular emphasis on tumors of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and sinonasal tract.
• Neck masses and principles of differential diagnosis.
• Otolaryngological emergencies: airway obstruction, hemorrhage, foreign bodies, and major infectious complications.
• Pediatric otolaryngological disorders.
• Principles of diagnostic investigations in Otolaryngology: endoscopy, audiometry, vestibular assessment, and imaging.
• Clinical approach and diagnostic reasoning, including differential diagnosis, in the main otolaryngological disorders.

Learning is assessed through an objective structured block examination (flowchart) as part of the integrated examination.

The assessment is designed to evaluate students’ knowledge of the main otolaryngological disorders and their ability to apply this knowledge to clinical reasoning.

Through structured questions and clinical scenarios, students are assessed on their ability to recognize relevant signs and symptoms, formulate diagnostic hypotheses and differential diagnoses, identify appropriate diagnostic investigations, recognize emergency conditions, and determine the fundamental principles of treatment.

The final assessment takes into account both the accuracy of the answers and the student’s ability to apply acquired knowledge to the management of clinical problems.

Learning outcomes are assessed through a final objective structured block examination (flowchart), conducted as part of the integrated examination. The assessment is designed to verify the effective acquisition of the knowledge and skills defined in the educational objectives.

To pass the examination, students must demonstrate the ability to:

• understand the etiopathogenesis, main signs and symptoms, and principles of treatment of the most common otolaryngological disorders;
• recognize the main clinical presentations and formulate an appropriate diagnostic and differential diagnostic approach;
• identify appropriate diagnostic and instrumental investigations;
• recognize the main otolaryngological emergencies and establish appropriate priorities of care;
• identify warning signs and symptoms suggestive of head and neck malignancy;
• understand the general principles of medical and surgical treatment of the main ENT disorders;
• apply acquired knowledge to clinical scenarios and identify an appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic pathway;
• use essential medical and specialist terminology appropriately.

The assessment takes into account the student’s level of knowledge, clinical and differential diagnostic reasoning skills, ability to apply acquired knowledge to clinical situations, and appropriateness of diagnostic and therapeutic choices.

The final grade, expressed on a 30-point scale, is awarded according to the procedures established for the integrated examination. A grade of 30/30, with honors where applicable, is awarded when the student demonstrates an excellent level of knowledge and competence.

The teaching materials used during the lectures are made available to students through the University’s institutional platforms.

Attendance requirements are governed by the regulations of the Degree Programme in Medicine and Surgery.

Students may contact the lecturers through their institutional UniGe email addresses. Office hours are available by appointment, arranged via email, either in person or, when appropriate, remotely.