TRIO Best Practice articles are brief, structured reviews designed to provide the busy clinician with a handy outline and reference for day-to-day clinical decision making. The ENTtoday summaries below include the Background and Best Practice sections of the original article. To view the complete Laryngoscope articles free of charge, visit Laryngoscope.com.
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June 2026BACKGROUND
On-call emergencies in otolaryngology can be life-threatening and are often time-sensitive. Junior otolaryngology residents are often the first on scene in these critical situations, which can be challenging if they have not previously encountered such pathologies. To help residents acclimatize to this transition, intensive, one-day courses (“boot camps”) have been used. These courses provide structured, simulated hands-on learning opportunities designed to enhance trainee preparedness for low-frequency, high-acuity situations. This review examines the effectiveness of otolaryngology boot camps and assesses their value for junior residents.
BEST PRACTICE
The available evidence demonstrates that boot camps are well-received and viewed as highly valuable by trainees, and they’re effective at improving trainee confidence, with benefits persisting at least six months after participation. Additionally, emerging evidence shows that boot camps can enhance knowledge acquisition and performance in simulated clinical scenarios.
In conclusion, otolaryngology boot camps provide an effective training model for junior residents, fostering confidence, knowledge, and, to some extent, clinical skills. Despite these promising findings, further research is needed to determine whether increased confidence and knowledge translate into improved real-world clinical performance. Future studies should focus on long-term clinical outcomes, standardized assessment tools, and the development of validated performance metrics.
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