The 10th Annual Midwest Otolaryngology Simulation Training course (MOST) brought together first- and second-year otolaryngology residents from across the Midwest to network and practice essential skills.
Hosted July 11 by the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at WashU Medicine, the event welcomed trainees and faculty from WashU Med, Saint Louis University, University of Missouri, and University of Tennessee.
Course organizers included pediatric otolaryngologists Jennifer Brinkmeier, MD, and Ben Speaker, MBBCh. Numerous faculty members from the participating institutions also attended to help support the day’s activities.
Small groups of residents rotated through a variety of stations with near one-on-one faculty mentoring. Skills practiced included:
- Ear tube insertion
- Epistaxis (nosebleed) management
- Cricothyrotomy
- Direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy
- Direct and flexible fiber optic intubation
- Fresh tracheostomy tube change
- Suturing and local skin flaps
Course offers crucial practice in a risk-free environment
“It’s important to introduce residents to these specialized procedures in a low-pressure environment prior to encountering these situations in their clinical experience,” said Brinkmeier. “Having the support of so many faculty makes the event a truly worthwhile experience for our trainees.”
WashU medical students were once again provided an opportunity to experience the course. Friday prior to the camp, about a dozen students from the WashU Medicine ENT Interest Group rotated through the various stations to experience a little of what they might encounter in the clinic as an ENT resident.