Emergencies in Otolaryngology Bootcamp

The Annual Emergencies in Otolaryngology Bootcamp is Canada's first and only accredited Otolaryngology training course for junior Otolarynogolgoy residents, which aims at helping these junior residents gain more confidence in handling surgical emergencies. Enrollment is Canada-wide, stretching from the University of British Columbia all the way to Memorial University of Newfoundland. Furthermore, this course attracts American junior residents from the University of Washington, Moffit Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa Bay, and Harvard, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh medical schools. Bootcamp is popular not only among junior Otolaryngology residents, but also among junior residents in Anesthesia and Emergency Medicine.

Western's Annual Emergencies in Otolaryngology Bootcamp has thrived since its inception in 2012. During 2020 and 2021, the course was successfully offered in virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person Bootcamps provide the benefit of being able to use task trainers and simulations, and Virtual Bootcamps have been valuable in offering asynchronous didactice material and the chat function as a means of engaging learners. Going forward, it will be determined how in-person and virtual learning could possibly be integrated together for a superior learning experience.

Over 18 faculty members are involved with Bootcamp on an annual basis, and Bootcamp remains a highly popular learning event among junior residents, with approximatley 300 residents having completed this course since 2012. Bootcamp has been an excellent mechanism of promoting community Otolaryngology engagement, as well as providing international exposure for faculty and junior residents.

Research

Western's Otolaryngology bootcamp has prompted other bootcamps to emerge, and it has also stimultated research aimed at studying the efficacy of these bootcamps:

Emergencies in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery bootcamp: a novel Canadian experience
Novel High-Fidelity Peritonsillar Abscess Simulator
Simulation-based otolaryngology - head and neck surgery boot camp: 'how I do it'
Boot Camps: Preparing for Residency
Simulation of Urgent Airway Management in a Postthyroidectomy Hematoma
Novel minimally invasive transoral surgery bleeding model implemented in a nationwide otolaryngology emergencies bootcamp
Development of a novel simulation-based task trainer for management of retrobulbar hematoma

Objectives

General Objectives:

Recognize and triage typical otorhinolaryngology (ORL) emergencies
Demonstrate the ability to perform specific basic ORL emergency management skills
Communicate effectively as a team member or leader in an emergency situation
Follow up with educational outcome
Each station will have its own objectives

Upon completion of the Annual Emergencies in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Bootcamp 2019 Technical Skills Stations, the participant will be able to:

Refresh head & neck anatomy pertaining to management of otolaryngology emergencies
Practice key steps in the diagnosis and management of common ENT emergencies
Build the technical skill set and familiarity with necessary equipment and technology
Understand the role of ENT resident as part of a comprehensive care team

At the conclusion of Comprehensive Skills Station 1, participants will:

Be challenged in the diagnosis and physical examination of a developing deep neck space abscess.
Facilitate steps in the management of a potential difficult airway in a time sensitive manner.
Collaborate effectively with colleagues and team members to ensure successful patient care.
Communicate in a professional, compassionate manner with patient and family members to develop a treatment plan and to relay outcomes.

At the conclusion of Comprehensive Skills Station 2, participants will:

Understand and practice the critical steps in management of a laryngeal trauma.
Employ effective coping skills for the surgeon’s emotional response to uncertainty and high-stakes patient care decision-making.
Demonstrate leadership in a multidisciplinary, team setting.
Exercise communication skills in a fast-paced, time-sensitive, unsettling scenario.

At the conclusion of Comprehensive Skills Station 3, participants will: