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ENT in the undergraduate curriculum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2019

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Abstract

Type
Editorial
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited, 2019 

Otolaryngology is under-represented in the UK undergraduate curriculum, typically comprising less than one per cent of the curriculum and many medical schools lack a mandatory placement.Reference Davies and Elhassan1,Reference Ferguson, Bacila and Swamy2 There is an ongoing drive and determination by many UK ENT departments to retain ENT within the medical school curriculum.Reference Khan and Saeed3

In this month's issue of the Journal of Laryngology & Otology, Mayer et al make a strong case for greater exposure to ENT within the medical school curriculum, in order to facilitate active recruitment of medical students and junior doctors into Otolaryngology Higher Surgical Training.Reference Mayer, Smith and Carrie4 The authors also encourage mentorship for students with an interest in ENT.

One way the authors suggest that exposure to ENT can be increased is through more widespread use of e-learning, although in one UK-based study satisfaction with current e-learning resources was found to be variable.Reference Fraser, Gunasekaran, Mistry and Ward5 In addition, a previous article published in this Journal earlier this year showed that a one-day course run by a student body can be a powerful adjunct to the medical school curriculum, in terms of educating undergraduates in ENT and inspiring the pursuit of ENT as a career.Reference Spiers, Enayati, Moussa, Zargaran, Thomas and Murtaza6 Virtual reality and surgical simulation can also assist in this process by engaging medical students, as well as helping students to guide their career planning. Previous studies have shown virtual reality and surgical simulation to be effective in this regard.Reference Hardcastle and Wood7,Reference Wijewickrema, Zhou, Ioannou, Copson, Piromchai and Yu8

The systematic review by Mayer et al reiterates the need for greater exposure to otolaryngology in the undergraduate curriculum. In addition, mentorship for students with an interest in otolaryngology (e.g. through special study modules and undergraduate ENT societies) should be a priority.

References

1.Davies, KL, Elhassan, HA. Clinical ear, nose and throat training as a percentage of the undergraduate medical curriculum. Clin Otolaryngol 2012;37:500–1Google Scholar
2.Ferguson, GR, Bacila, IA, Swamy, M. Does current provision of undergraduate education prepare UK medical students in ENT? A systematic literature review. BMJ Open. 2016;6:e010054Google Scholar
3.Khan, MM, Saeed, SR. Provision of undergraduate otorhinolaryngology teaching within General Medical Council approved UK medical schools: what is current practice? J Laryngol Otol 2012;126:340–4Google Scholar
4.Mayer, AW, Smith, KA, Carrie, S. A systematic review of factors affecting choice of otolaryngology as a career in medical students and junior doctors. J Laryngol Otol 2019;133:836–42Google Scholar
5.Fraser, L, Gunasekaran, S, Mistry, D, Ward, VM. Current use of and attitudes to e-learning in otolaryngology: questionnaire survey of UK otolaryngology trainees. J Laryngol Otol 2011;125:338–42Google Scholar
6.Spiers, H, Enayati, H, Moussa, R, Zargaran, A, Thomas, A, Murtaza, A et al. Augmenting ENT surgery outside the medical school curriculum: the role of a 1-day otolaryngology course. J Laryngol Otol 2019;133:269–74Google Scholar
7.Hardcastle, T, Wood, A. The utility of virtual reality surgical simulation in the undergraduate otorhinolaryngology curriculum. J Laryngol Otol 2018;132:1072–6Google Scholar
8.Wijewickrema, S, Zhou, Y, Ioannou, I, Copson, B, Piromchai, P, Yu, C et al. Presentation of automated procedural guidance in surgical simulation: results of two randomised controlled trials. J Laryngol Otol 2018;132:257–63Google Scholar