(1102) Assessing Utility of an AAO-HNSF Emergency Airway Management Simulation Course for Medical Students

Introduction: It is critical to impart clinical knowledge about airway management basics to prospective otolaryngologists. Our goal was to evaluate the impact of an emergency airway management simulation course for medical students for the 2023 AAO-HNS Annual Meeting.

Methods: Our simulation course, “Emergency Airway Management for Medical Students: Oto Chautauqua LIVE!” was presented at AAO-HNS annual meeting at Nashville, TN in 2023. This flipped classroom session was targeted towards medical students. The curriculum was developed by 3 attending otolaryngologists, a fellow, and a medical student, which represents key phases in educational training. The course was taught by 13 otolaryngologists. Course entry required participants to complete a pre-session syllabus and achieve a passing grade on a multiple choice test.

The course consisted of a hands-on rotation between 3 stations outlining laryngotracheal pathology with flexible laryngoscopes, cricothyroidotomy, tracheotomy, and the management of trach tubes and associated trach emergencies. At the end, students completed a post-course evaluation regarding their experience.

Results: In total, 150 students completed the pre-test with a mean score 27.9/33 (84.5%). There were a total of 96 students who participated in the simulation course. Of them, 54 students (56%) completed the anonymous post-course evaluation. Attitudes toward the course were measured using a Likert scale ranging from 1 (Not at all) to 5 (Absolutely yes!). Our findings revealed a mean score of 4.9 when students were asked if they would recommend this course to an MS1-3, 5 when asked if the teachers were knowledgeable, and 4.9 when asked if the course was a good use of their time. Students’ feedback included a request for more stations, teachers, and time allotted for the course.

Conclusions: This course met the learning needs of a large group of medical student attendees at the AAO-HNS Annual Meeting. It also encouraged collaboration among medical students, trainees, and attending otolaryngologists. Future efforts aim to enhance the simulation experience for learners through course expansion.