Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Aug 18;6(5):952-957.
doi: 10.1002/lio2.637. eCollection 2021 Oct.

A virtual sub-internship for otolaryngology-head and neck surgery

Jeffrey D Bernstein  1 , Laurel L Ball  2 , Zachary B Nardone  2 , Deborah Watson  1
Affiliations
Review

A virtual sub-internship for otolaryngology-head and neck surgery

Jeffrey D Bernstein et al. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. .

Abstract

Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, away rotations were suspended for safety purposes. This led to the development of online interactive learning modules for students, now known as virtual sub-internships (VSIs). To date, VSIs within otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) have been limited in their description and design.

Study design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: ACGME-accredited OHNS residency program.

Methods: Our curriculum for an OHNS VSI is presented. Based on the model used by our OHNS residency program, the VSI consisted of a 2-week block of activities and interactive small-group discussions. A post-VSI feedback survey was distributed to participants; results are reported.

Results: Six 2-week VSI sessions were administered. Twenty-one individuals participated from all US regions, median 4 individuals per session. Fifteen participants (71.4%) completed the feedback survey. Of survey respondents, 20% lacked a home OHNS residency program, and no respondents' home-programs featured a VSI. All respondents were satisfied with the schedule and organization of the VSI, and 73.3% (11 of 15) felt it was of appropriate duration. All respondents reported a high degree of familiarity with the program, with a greater (86.7%) or equal (13.3%) level of interest in applying to the residency program as a result of participating in the VSI.

Conclusion: This VSI curriculum offers a well-received virtual learning experience for medical students applying to OHNS residency. It provides an opportunity for programs to expand their appeal to potential applicants who may otherwise be restricted in their ability to travel.

Keywords: ENT; OHNS; VSI; away rotation; education; learning; medical school; otolaryngology; residency; subinternship; sub‐I; sub‐internship; surgery; teaching; virtual sub‐internship.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Average self‐reported familiarity with each topic is represented by bar height (0 = not at all familiar or comfortable, 5 = extremely familiar or comfortable). VSI, virtual sub‐internship; OHNS, otolaryngology‐head and neck surgery; ENT, ear/nose/throat. formula image, median familiarity rating
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Wang JC, Pillutla P, Tello N, et al. Competitiveness of otolaryngology residency applicants without a home program. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2020;129(5):462‐468. 10.1177/0003489419892016 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kasle DA, Torabi SJ, Izreig S, Rahmati RW, Manes RP. COVID‐19's impact on the 2020‐2021 resident match: a survey of otolaryngology program directors. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2020;0003489420967045:666‐673. 10.1177/0003489420967045 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Academy of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) . Away rotations of U.S Medical School graduates by intended specialty. 2019 AAMC Medical School Graduation Questionnaire (GQ); 2019.
    1. AAMC . Away rotations of U.S. Medical School Graduates by Intended specialty. 2020 AAMC Medical School Graduation Questionnaire (GQ); 2020.
    1. Jacobson RA, Daly SC, Schmidt JL, et al. The impact of visiting student electives on surgical match outcomes. J Surg Res. 2015;196(2):209‐215. 10.1016/j.jss.2015.03.031 - DOI - PubMed