The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO was held in Miami Beach, Florida from September 28th to October 1st, 2024. Aside from scientific presentations, clinical updates, and simulation events, there were several events aimed directly at medical students. This is a recent focus for this meeting. These events were created to foster connections and guide the next generation of otolaryngologists into otolaryngology as a career.
Two informational sessions were hosted for medical students: Preparing for Your Residency Interviews panel and Next Steps to Matching into Residency panel. In Preparing for Your Residency Interviews, program directors and academic otolaryngologists addressed commonly asked questions on setting up the ERAS application and excelling in residency interviews, including, “What are things that are much more or much less important than they seem? How do you learn about a residency program? How do you approach being a reapplicant? How do you answer, ‘Tell me about yourself’?” “I appreciate that experts and leaders in our field took the time to give us their perspective on these important topics” said Deepthi Akella, a fourth-year student at The University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine.
In the Next Steps to Matching into Residency panel, program directors gave their insights into how to find a mentor, use signals, maximize fourth-year away rotations, and develop an optimal application. Some advice included who to ask for letters of recommendation, how to explain geographical preference, and how step board scores play a role.
The Emergency Airway Management for Medical Students: Oto Chautauqua LIVE! was a hands-on session allowing students to learn how to use a flexible laryngoscope and identify relevant anatomy, how to do a cricothyrotomy and tracheotomy, and how to manage trach tube emergencies. Faculty came from 15 different programs and over 120 students participated. Kelvin Anderson, a fourth-year student from the University at Buffalo, attended and helped with setup of the session this year. His favorite moment was “role-playing an emergent bleeding airway with pediatric ENT fellow Dr. Zhou. My colleagues and I worked together in our assigned roles as if we were a real interprofessional team. We established responsibilities and communicated adjustments in an evolving situation as we attempted to identify the bleed and stabilize the patient. Working through this scenario allowed me to take a step toward developing into a team-oriented ENT who can remain calm and vigilant when dealing with patients at risk of rapid decline.”
There was also the Medical Student Speed Mentoring Session. Medical students connected with otolaryngologists across the spectrum of career paths. Guided conversation topics included, “What is the scope of practice of an otolaryngologist? What does a day in your life look like? How do private practice and academics differ?” With these small group discussions, medical students got more personalized advice on their journeys into the field. Valeria Guerra, a second-year medical student at the University at Buffalo, said her mentor, Dr. Seo, “was very candid about her experience within medicine. She told us about a time she was called in to help in a sensitive trauma case. From this story, we reflected on the fact that there is always someone in medicine willing to help, and it’s exciting to think about a future where we’ll have the skills to be there for others in a unique way. Being a physician is a great responsibility, but it’s also a calling that drives many of us.”
The Harry Barnes Student Forum was also held in parallel with the meeting, where the Harry Barnes Medical Society members held engaging discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion and explained grants for medical student rotations in otolaryngology.
Medical student events are important to inspire budding ENT trainees, while keeping everyone current on tips and trends in the application process. These events were highly anticipated and well-attended this year.
Cindy Hoang-Tran and Dr. Carr have no conflicts of interest to report.
Image by hmorena / Shutterstock
