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A 2023 study of ENT undergraduate training in the UK. Has this improved?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 April 2024

Amelia Lancaster Open the ORCID record for Amelia Lancaster [Opens in a new window] ,
Ahmed Salih  and
Neil Tolley
Amelia Lancaster*
Affiliation:
St George's University of London, Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK
Ahmed Salih
Affiliation:
Imperial College London, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
Neil Tolley
Affiliation:
Imperial College Healthcare, London, W2 1NY, UK
*
Corresponding author: Amelia Lancaster; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objectives

Otolaryngology (ENT) plays a crucial role in healthcare, yet undergraduate education in the United Kingdom has historically not reflected this. This study aimed to assess the delivery of ENT education, focusing on teaching methods, clinical placements, and assessment practices.

Methods

An online questionnaire was distributed to medical students. Data were collected via Qualtrics from 5 August 2023 to 17 October 2023.

Results

Forty medical schools were involved. Thirty-seven schools had compulsory ENT teaching however 20 per cent lack an ENT placement. Clinical placements varied, with an average length of 7.3 days. Assessment of ENT knowledge included Objective, Structures, Clinical Examination stations (90 per cent) and written exams (80 per cent).

Conclusion

The study highlights persistent gaps in ENT education. Deficiencies in clinical exposure and lack of alignment with national guidelines indicate the need for improvement. As the Medical Licensing Assessment approaches, standardising assessments may address disparities but should be accompanied by comprehensive changes in teaching methods and placements.

Keywords

medical educationotolaryngologyUnited Kingdomcurriculum
Type
Reply
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 138 , Issue 9 , September 2024 , pp. 989 - 995
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

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Footnotes

Amelia Lancaster takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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