These professionals are experts in diagnosing and treating problems with the voice box (larynx), vocal cords, and surrounding structures. The journey to becoming a voice specialist is long but rewarding, especially for those passionate about both medicine and the voice. We speak to ENT voice specialist, Nick Hamilton to find out more about this career path.
What is The Medical Training Pathway To Become a Voice Specialist
To start, you need to complete a medical degree, which typically takes five to six years. Some of the best universities in the UK for studying medicine include the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and University College London. After finishing your degree, you enter the Foundation Programme, which is two years of general medical training.
Following this, you must apply for specialty training in ENT surgery, which lasts around eight years. During this time, you gain detailed knowledge and experience in treating conditions of the head and neck, including the throat and voice box. As your training advances, you can choose to focus on laryngology, the sub-specialty dealing specifically with voice and airway problems.
What Voice Specialists Do and Diagnose?
Voice specialists diagnose and manage a range of voice disorders. These can be caused by problems with the vocal cords, nerves, or muscles involved in speaking.
One of the conditions commonly treated is laryngeal dystonia, a neurological disorder where the muscles in the voice box spasm involuntarily, making the voice sound strained or shaky. Another condition is vocal cord paralysis, where one or both vocal cords cannot move properly, affecting voice, breathing, and swallowing.
Other issues include vocal cord nodules, polyps, cysts, and chronic laryngitis. Some patients may also suffer from vocal fatigue or hoarseness due to overuse, such as in singers or teachers. Voice specialists often work closely with speech and language therapists to help patients recover their vocal function.
Where to Study and Train To Become a Voice Specialist
Top training hospitals for ENT and laryngology in the UK include Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals, and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. These centres offer both training and specialised voice clinics, often working alongside voice therapists and singing voice specialists.
Becoming a voice specialist requires dedication, but it offers the chance to help people communicate more clearly and confidently, restoring one of the most important tools we use every day — our voice.
