Annual Bootcamp – attracts international participation

The annual Emergencies in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Bootcamp is quickly becoming an international affair. Hosted by Schulich Medicine & Dentistry and the Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics (CSTAR) program, the 2015 event attracted nearly 30 residents and 20 faculty from across Canada and the United States.

This year, participants enthusiastically engaged for a full-day of teaching and foundational skills in postgraduate Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery training.

First and second year residents participated in skills stations with high- fidelity models for common emergency procedures such as post-tonsillectomy bleed, posterior epistaxis, paediatric airway and emergency cricothyrotomy and tracheostomy.

Meanwhile, during the afternoon, residents had the opportunity for skill consolidation in a more realistic setting as they worked together in small groups to save their simulated patients from emergency scenarios.

Teamwork and communication were emphasized with residents as they progressed through the crisis resource management training and valuable debriefing process. A definite highlight of the Bootcamp was the interactive panel discussion, using real cases and discussing the on-call management steps.

Bootcamps coordinators Drs. Kathy Roth and Kevin Fung were very pleased with the turn out this year and grateful for the contributions of so many faculty.

“The participation of faculty has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Dr. Roth. “They have consistently supported the course, volunteering their personal time, travel, and teaching expertise each year. It would not be a success without each of them and their genuine interest in teaching.”

“We are indebted to our anesthesia colleagues,” added Dr. Fung, noting specifically on the contributions of Dr. Ida Bruni and Dr. Brian B. Church, for their simulation and debriefing expertise.

Drs. Roth and Fung were also grateful for industry support for the educational event, which they noted has never been stronger. Financial and gift-in-kind sponsors included: Karl Storz Endoscopy, Olympus, KLS Martin, Genzyme, Smith & Nephew, OSIS Medical, Medtronic, and Baxter.

The Bootcamp is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved for 10.25 hours.