Conferences and Curriculum

From July to mid-September each year, the OTOHNS faculty presents the Head and Neck Anatomy and Dissection Course, the Basic Science Course and the Temporal Bone Anatomy and Dissection Course. The Head and Neck Anatomy and Dissection Course consists of faculty lectures on the major components of head and neck surgery followed by cadaveric dissection sessions. All residents participate in this course. The Basic Science Course consists of lectures to the PGY-2 OTOHNS residents and rotating medical students on basic OTOHNS history and physical examination, as well as clinical head and neck anatomy and common OTOHNS diseases. PGY-3 through PGY-5 residents attend the Temporal Bone Anatomy and Dissection Course in the departmental Temporal Bone Laboratory. This course consists of didactic lectures followed by mentored dissection sessions. Supplementing these courses is the monthly Morbidity and Mortality Conference.

After the above courses are completed, the routine conference schedule begins. This includes one or two faculty lectures alternating with one of the following: Resident Research Committee Meeting, Core Competency Conference, a quarterly Audiology course, the quarterly Head and Neck Pathology course, the quarterly Head and Neck Radiology course, a Basic Science (monthly) and Resident Grand Rounds (one per resident annually).

The Morbidity and Mortality Conference supplements the schedule. It involves discussion of pertinent OTOHNS cases from program institutions, an Interesting Case Conference, a Model Patient Conference, and the OTOHNS Interactive Course.  In the Interesting Case Conference, each program hospital is responsible for presenting a patient.  The Model Patient Conferences are led by a succession of OTOHNS subspecialty faculty and provide the opportunities to delve into specific subspecialty subjects. This educational experience is in the format of the OTOHNS Oral Board Exam, uses physician-patient interaction as a learning tool, and serves to simulate clinical competency.  The OTOHNS Interactive Course is a roundtable review of specific subjects and involves discussion of pertinent literature.          

Other conferences include the multidisciplinary Head and Neck Tumor Board and Thyroid Tumor Board. OTOHNS faculty, residents and nurses, as well as representatives of Neuroradiology, Radiation Oncology, Medical Endocrinology, Pathology, and Social Services attend the biweekly Tumor Boards. Similar multidisciplinary Tumor Boards occur at VAMC, SLMC and TMC.

The core conference curriculum is based on a 24 month cycle resulting in each OTOHNS resident completing the cycle twice. The Core Competency Curriculum is based on a 48 month cycle. Residents actively participate in all conferences and are asked to comment on these presentations, assisting faculty in their ability to upgrade and improve the lectures on a regular basis.

The didactic conferences are supplemented by the annual American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Home Study Course (provided during the PGY-3 and PGY-4 years), KUMC Audiology/vestibular rehabilitation rotations, KUMC OTOHNS allergy rotation, annual Hard Tissue and Soft Tissue Courses, Roundtable Conferences (held annually with community OTOHNS physicians), monthly Journal Clubs, and the Bronchoscopy Lab. The curriculum described is mandatory for all residents. The clinical schedule at all institutions is adjusted to allow attendance at all educational events.  Additionally, residents are encouraged to attend and present at the AAO-HNS Annual Meeting, the Annual Association for Research in Otolaryngology Meeting, the Combined Otolaryngological Spring Meetings, Society for Ear, Nose and Throat Advances in Children meeting, the annual Kansas City Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology Society meeting, as well as to the departmental Winter Competency Conference.