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EBEORL-HNS study materials
EBEORL-HNS study resources

EBEORL-HNS study guide

EBEORL-HNS · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

The European Board Examination in Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (E.B.E. ORL-HNS) is a non-profit association operating under the umbrella of the UEMS (Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes). It was established in 2008 by the UEMS ORL Section and Board with the aim of harmonising specialist knowledge across Europe. The examination assesses the professional knowledge and competence of specialists across Europe and consists of two parts, designed to evaluate both theoretical understanding and clinical decision-making skills: Part I is a written exam and Part II is an oral exam. Importantly, the European Board Examination is not intended to replace national end-of-training examinations. Instead, it serves as a complementary and internationally recognised standard, ensuring consistency in training outcomes across different healthcare systems. Topics on this exam: Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (theoretical knowledge, Part I written exam) and Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (clinical decision-making, Part II oral exam). The EBEORL-HNS study guide has 2 sections and about 778 words.

01

Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery: Theoretical Knowledge (Part I Written Exam)

The written paper uses single-best-answer questions to test applied basic science: temporal bone and skull-base anatomy, sinonasal and laryngeal anatomy, head and neck embryology, audiology and vestibular physiology, oncology biology, microbiology, pharmacology, imaging principles, and evidence interpretation. Questions reward mechanism over lists. Label units correctly: pure-tone thresholds are dB HL; immittance and otoacoustic emissions use dB SPL. Do not compare across scales without conversion.

427 words, about 2 min02

Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery: Clinical Decision-Making (Part II Oral Exam)

The oral exam presents undifferentiated cases and asks for safe, prioritised decisions: red flags, focused examination, appropriate investigation, differential diagnosis, definitive management, and communication. It tests whether you can act before the diagnosis is certain. Start with airway, bleeding, and sepsis. Stridor or a rapidly expanding neck haematoma outranks diagnostic completeness.

351 words, about 2 min

More study resources for EBEORL-HNS

  • Practice questionsWhich cranial nerve provides motor innervation to the cricothyroid muscle?
  • FlashcardsRinne test positive. Air conduction exceeds bone conduction in the tested ear, indicating normal hearing or sensorineural loss.
  • Cheat sheetRinne test: air conduction greater than bone conduction = positive (normal or sensorineural loss); bone greater than air = negative (conductive loss).
  • Key termsAir-bone gap (ABG). The difference in decibels between pure-tone air-conduction and bone-conduction thresholds at the same frequency; it quantifies the conductive component of a hearing loss.
  • Study planMap the Part I syllabus into an organ-system checklist (otology, rhinology, laryngology, head and neck oncology, pediatric ORL, facial plastics, trauma, audiology/vestibular).
  • Common mistakesNeck mass questions are taught early and feel familiar, so candidates answer from pattern recognition and skip the structured framework (adult lateral vs midline, pediatric, supraclavicular, cystic vs solid) that the question is actually testing.
  • Exam-day guideBring the original, unexpired ID in the name you registered with.