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Mapping the young EHNS network: workforce diversity, educational needs, and collaboration interests in head & neck oncology

What do young professionals in head and neck oncology really want from educational programs?

In our new paper, we surveyed 400+ Young EHNS members across Europe and found a strong demand for collaboration over lectures, interaction over passive learning, and multidisciplinary exchange over silos.
Research collaboration, international case discussions, and virtual MDTs clearly stood out as priorities—offering valuable direction for future educational initiatives.
Excited to share these results and hear your thoughts.

Read the Paper

Abstract

Purpose
The Young European Head and Neck Society (Young EHNS) supports early-career professionals in head and neck (H&N) oncology, yet the composition and educational preferences of this network have not been systematically described.

Methods
A cross-sectional survey of 402 Young EHNS members assessed geographic distribution, subspecialty affiliation, and self-reported interest in nine educational domains using a 5-point Likert scale.

Results
Respondents originated predominantly from Spain (26.5%), Portugal (9.2%), Italy (8.8%), and the United Kingdom (7.2%). Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery represented 59.3% of respondents, followed by Medical Oncology (14.1%) and Maxillofacial Surgery (11.4%). The highest-rated educational interests were research collaboration (mean 4.68/5), international case discussions (4.61), and virtual multidisciplinary tumor boards (4.57). Industry-sponsored content received the lowest rating (3.12).
Conclusion

This perception-based survey reveals a geographically diverse, surgically anchored but multidisciplinary early-career network with strong preference for interactive, collaborative learning formats. These findings may inform future EHNS educational programming and cross-border collaboration initiatives