Otitis media and ear pain
Revise acute otitis media, otitis externa, otitis media with effusion, mastoiditis, ear discharge, analgesia-first management and when antibiotics or urgent review are needed.
MRCGP AKT ENT revision
ENT questions test whether you can avoid unnecessary antibiotics, recognise hearing-loss urgency, separate peripheral vertigo from central red flags and spot head and neck cancer signals early.
Quick answer
For AKT ENT revision, prioritise otitis media, otitis externa, sore throat, sinusitis, delayed antibiotics, sudden hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, epistaxis, hoarseness, oral ulceration, neck lumps and head and neck cancer red flags.
What to revise first
Sore throat and sinusitis
Know antimicrobial stewardship, FeverPAIN or Centor-style decision making, delayed prescriptions, sinusitis time course, red flags and safety-netting language.
Hearing loss and tinnitus
Focus on conductive versus sensorineural hearing loss, sudden hearing loss, earwax, unilateral symptoms, middle-ear effusion and when audiology or ENT referral is urgent.
Vertigo and dizziness
Revise BPPV, vestibular neuritis, Meniere's disease, migraine, Dix-Hallpike, Epley manoeuvre and central neurological red flags.
Nose, mouth and voice symptoms
Cover epistaxis, rhinitis, nasal obstruction, oral ulceration, hoarseness, salivary gland swelling, dental pain and persistent unexplained symptoms.
Head and neck cancer recognition
Know the patterns that should not be dismissed: persistent neck lump, hoarseness, dysphagia, unilateral throat pain, oral ulceration, weight loss and unexplained otalgia.
Red flags to recognise quickly
- Sudden sensorineural hearing loss, rapidly worsening hearing loss or unilateral hearing loss with neurological symptoms
- Mastoid tenderness, protruding pinna, systemic illness or suspected mastoiditis
- Persistent hoarseness, dysphagia, unexplained neck lump, oral ulceration or weight loss
- Epistaxis with haemodynamic concern, anticoagulation risk, recurrent unilateral symptoms or suspected malignancy
- Vertigo with focal neurology, new severe headache, ataxia, diplopia, dysarthria or inability to walk
- Periorbital swelling, severe frontal headache, reduced consciousness or orbital symptoms in sinusitis
Why ENT questions catch candidates out
The stem often looks like a simple infection or a vague dizzy patient. The scoring mark is usually the one detail that changes management: duration, unilateral symptoms, sudden hearing loss, focal neurology, mastoid tenderness or a cancer red flag.
AKT ENT FAQ
Is ENT high yield for the MRCGP AKT?
Yes. ENT, speech and hearing is a named RCGP curriculum topic and AKT questions commonly test otitis media, sore throat, sinusitis, hearing loss, vertigo, epistaxis, hoarseness and head and neck cancer red flags.
What ENT topics should I revise for the AKT?
Prioritise acute otitis media, otitis externa, sore throat, sinusitis, antimicrobial stewardship, sudden hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, epistaxis, hoarseness, mouth ulcers, neck lumps and head and neck cancer red flags.
How does hearing loss come up in AKT questions?
Hearing loss questions often test conductive versus sensorineural patterns, sudden or rapidly worsening hearing loss, unilateral symptoms, earwax, middle-ear effusion and when urgent ENT referral is needed.
What ENT red flags are high yield for the AKT?
Know sudden hearing loss, mastoiditis features, vertigo with neurological signs, persistent hoarseness, dysphagia, unexplained neck lump, persistent oral ulceration, weight loss and unilateral persistent symptoms.
Official sources
This is revision guidance, not official RCGP advice. Check current RCGP, NICE CKS and BNF guidance for clinical decisions. Last reviewed June 2026.
October sitting
Oct 26
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