The annual temporal bone course provides a week-long, comprehensive otology and neurotology experience for our PGY4 residents. This year’s event, held Aug. 31-Sept. 4, provided residents with hands-on experience and quality time with renowned surgical mentors.
Instructors for the course included: Craig Buchman, MD, Andrew Drescher, MD, Nedim Durakovic, MD, Jacques Herzog, MD, Jonathan McJunkin, MD, Matthew Shew, MD, and Cameron Wick, MD. Each faculty member provided lectures and lab instruction for a variety of surgical procedures including cochlear implantation and all the major skull base surgeries.
“The PGY-4 temporal bone course proved to be a fantastic experience,” said senior resident Carla Valenzuela. “We practiced many of the most important types of procedures, including: cochlear implantation; middle cranial fossa approaches to the internal auditory canal; infratemporal approaches; and lateral temporal bone resections.”
“The residents receive faculty-led didactic sessions immediately followed by proctored lab experience,” said course organizer, Cameron Wick, MD. “They implant devices from all three cochlear implant manufacturers and get to practice all major ear and skull base surgeries, including endoscopic ear techniques.”
“This is a very special opportunity typically reserved for national surgical simulation courses. We are fortunate to have beautiful lab facilities and the support to pull off this fun and educational week.”
Clearly all who participated found the course very useful.
“The 4th year temporal bone course provided me a great hands-on opportunity to more fully explore temporal bone anatomy,” said Andrew Skillington, MD.