In 2014 IFHNOS established the Global On Line Fellowship (GOLF)*, an academic Program, with the goal of establishing a uniform standard of core knowledge and clinical practices around the world and to improve the knowledge and judgment of Head and Neck Surgeons internationally. This program enhances theoretical knowledge and clinical decision making. In the GOLF program there is no hands-on training component.

In 2022 IFHNOS introduced a comprehensive clinical training program in combination with the Academic (GOLF) program, “The Comprehensive International Fellowship in Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology” (IFHNS). This clinical fellowship program will require at least one year of hands on surgical training in a center of excellence accredited by IFHNOS. In addition, the fellows are also required to register for and undertake the one year academic curriculum of the GOLF Program and complete all its written and oral examinations. The Centers offering this comprehensive fellowship program have met with international standards of head and neck training and are accredited by IFHNOS. The program directors are established leaders in the specialty. Completion of the comprehensive clinical fellowship and the GOLF program will qualify the candidates for conferral of IFHNS (International Fellow in Head and Neck Surgery).

*For details on the GOLF program, including eligibility, requirements, curriculum, timeline and registration, please see the details on GOLF

ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY

Candidates wishing to apply for the IFHNS program must be:

• Board-certified or its equivalent in the specialty of Otolaryngology, General Surgery or Plastic Surgery, in their country.
• The candidate should have received at least four years of postgraduate surgical training in one of the above specialties with increasing clinical responsibility.
• The candidates may apply directly to any approved Fellowship program.
• The candidate must meet all licensing requirements to be accepted as a Fellow in the region/country where the candidate is applying for Fellowship.
• The candidate must be familiar and proficient with the language being used by people and patients in the region where the Fellowship is hosted.

SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE IFHNS PROGRAM

The candidate must register for the IFHNOS Global On Line Fellowship (GOLF) program. A one or two-year clinical Fellowship may be undertaken, in tandem with the GOLF program. The candidate must submit his/her surgical log of all the cases completed during the Fellowship, independently or under supervision of a faculty member (minimum 120 cases). This log must be certified by the Program Director.

The surgical procedures should be well distributed between mucosal cancers of the Upper GI tract, sinuses, salivary glands, thyroid, parathyroid, skin, soft tissue and bone tumors.

The candidate is required to participate in regular multidisciplinary tumor boards, including actively presenting cases and participating in the decision-making process.

The candidate must pass all the written and oral examinations of the GOLF program.

Upon completion of the GOLF program and IFHNS Fellowship, the candidate will receive a Certificate of “International Fellow in Head and Neck Surgery” and may use the title “IFHNS” after their names

CORE COMPETENCY MILE STONES

At the conclusion of this Fellowship program, including 1-2 years of clinical training and successful completion of all components of the GOLF program, the candidate should achieve the following:

• Competency in clinical diagnosis, including endoscopic assessment and interpretation of diagnostic imaging, to arrive at an accurate diagnosis and staging of head and neck tumors.
• Sufficient knowledge and judgement to arrive at the most appropriate treatment for each patient.
• Surgical competency to independently conduct common head and neck procedures, including neck dissections, parotidectomy, surgery for oral cancer, thyroid and parathyroid surgery, surgery for larynx, pharynx and sinus cancers and surgical procedures for skin, soft tissue and bone tumors.
• Ability to actively participate and contribute in a multidisciplinary tumor board, for management of complex cases.
• Understanding of the indications and benefits from non-surgical treatments and adjuvant treatments.
• The ability to understand and interpret published literature, biostatistics, data management and the importance of record-keeping and data registries.
• Completion of this Fellowship will prepare the candidate to participate in local, regional, national and international academic activities, and provide opportunities to assume leadership roles.
• Successful completion of this Fellowship will allow the candidate to use the title of “IFHNS” after their name.

APPLICATION FOR IFHNS

To apply, please contact the Program Director directly where the candidate wishes to apply. A complete list of approved programs and contact details is shown here.