Current innovations in otolaryngology medical education in the UK: a systematic literature review

Recent studies have indicated a lack of ENT training at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels. This study aimed to review the impact of recent educational innovations in improving ENT training for medical students and junior doctors in the UK. Three independent investigators conducted a literature search of published articles on ENT education. Included studies were analysed using qualitative synthesis methods. An initial search yielded 2008 articles; 44 underwent full-text evaluation and 5 were included for final analysis. Most included studies demonstrated benefits for students when compared to existing teaching standards in terms of objective assessment (knowledge and skills gained) or subjective assessment (confidence and preference) following implemented educational innovations. This study identified educational innovations developed in the past 15 years to enhance the teaching of core ENT competencies. More research is needed to establish their impact on the state of ENT medical education in the UK.