Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy
Objectives: Handheld otoscopy is the standard tool used to teach ear examination in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Previous studies have shown that the undergraduate teaching of ear examination with handheld otoscopes is inadequate, resulting in low self-reported levels of student...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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German Medical Science GMS Publishing House
2022-02-01
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| Series: | GMS Journal for Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.egms.de/static/en/journals/zma/2022-39/zma001524.shtml |
| _version_ | 1819277762047770624 |
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| author | Bassiouni, Mohamed Ahmed, Duha G. Zabaneh, Samira Ira Dommerich, Steffen Olze, Heidi Arens, Philipp Stölzel, Katharina |
| author_facet | Bassiouni, Mohamed Ahmed, Duha G. Zabaneh, Samira Ira Dommerich, Steffen Olze, Heidi Arens, Philipp Stölzel, Katharina |
| author_sort | Bassiouni, Mohamed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: Handheld otoscopy is the standard tool used to teach ear examination in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Previous studies have shown that the undergraduate teaching of ear examination with handheld otoscopes is inadequate, resulting in low self-reported levels of student confidence in their diagnostic skills. With the increase in popularity of endoscopic ear surgery, an increasing number of otolaryngologists are using endoscopes for office examinations of the ear due to the method’s superior visualization and excellent image qualities. However, medical students usually do not receive exposure to endoscopic ear examination during their undergraduate curriculum. The aim of this study is to assess our preliminary experience with teaching endoscopic ear examination to undergraduate medical students.Methods: A two-hour-long pilot practical course on basic ear examination was administered to undergraduate medical students with little to no previous experience with ear examination. The course was designed to minimize the duration of campus attendance and patient contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. The course included theoretical didactics, exemplary digital endoscopic images and peer physical practice of ear examination with both a handheld otoscope and a 0-degree endoscope. At the end of the course, the students completed a survey questionnaire consisting of eight questions mainly relating to their subjective confidence level with ear examination using either handheld otoscopes or endoscopes and their overall preference for either examination tool.Results: Most students expressed a preference for ear examination with endoscopes over that with handheld otoscopes and reported an improved confidence level in their diagnostic ability with the former technique. The vast majority of students supported the teaching of endoscopic ear examination to future medical students.Conclusion: The findings of this pilot project report and survey study support the early exposure of novice medical learners to endoscopic ear examination, which may help improve the confidence and diagnostic skill of medical students with regard to ear examination. The findings may have implications for the undergraduate teaching of ear examination in the post-COVID-19 era. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:01:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3fdde3645512459f87a4469f2fb1ae8c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2366-5017 |
| language | deu |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:01:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | German Medical Science GMS Publishing House |
| record_format | Article |
| series | GMS Journal for Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fdde3645512459f87a4469f2fb1ae8c2022-12-21T17:25:07ZdeuGerman Medical Science GMS Publishing HouseGMS Journal for Medical Education2366-50172022-02-01391Doc310.3205/zma001524Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopyBassiouni, Mohamed0Ahmed, Duha G.1Zabaneh, Samira Ira2Dommerich, Steffen3Olze, Heidi4Arens, Philipp5Stölzel, Katharina6Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Berlin, GermanyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Berlin, GermanyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Berlin, GermanyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Berlin, GermanyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Berlin, GermanyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Berlin, GermanyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Berlin, GermanyObjectives: Handheld otoscopy is the standard tool used to teach ear examination in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Previous studies have shown that the undergraduate teaching of ear examination with handheld otoscopes is inadequate, resulting in low self-reported levels of student confidence in their diagnostic skills. With the increase in popularity of endoscopic ear surgery, an increasing number of otolaryngologists are using endoscopes for office examinations of the ear due to the method’s superior visualization and excellent image qualities. However, medical students usually do not receive exposure to endoscopic ear examination during their undergraduate curriculum. The aim of this study is to assess our preliminary experience with teaching endoscopic ear examination to undergraduate medical students.Methods: A two-hour-long pilot practical course on basic ear examination was administered to undergraduate medical students with little to no previous experience with ear examination. The course was designed to minimize the duration of campus attendance and patient contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. The course included theoretical didactics, exemplary digital endoscopic images and peer physical practice of ear examination with both a handheld otoscope and a 0-degree endoscope. At the end of the course, the students completed a survey questionnaire consisting of eight questions mainly relating to their subjective confidence level with ear examination using either handheld otoscopes or endoscopes and their overall preference for either examination tool.Results: Most students expressed a preference for ear examination with endoscopes over that with handheld otoscopes and reported an improved confidence level in their diagnostic ability with the former technique. The vast majority of students supported the teaching of endoscopic ear examination to future medical students.Conclusion: The findings of this pilot project report and survey study support the early exposure of novice medical learners to endoscopic ear examination, which may help improve the confidence and diagnostic skill of medical students with regard to ear examination. The findings may have implications for the undergraduate teaching of ear examination in the post-COVID-19 era.http://www.egms.de/static/en/journals/zma/2022-39/zma001524.shtmlotoscopyotolaryngologydigital teachingexamination practicalear pathology |
| spellingShingle | Bassiouni, Mohamed Ahmed, Duha G. Zabaneh, Samira Ira Dommerich, Steffen Olze, Heidi Arens, Philipp Stölzel, Katharina Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy GMS Journal for Medical Education otoscopy otolaryngology digital teaching examination practical ear pathology |
| title | Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy |
| title_full | Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy |
| title_fullStr | Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy |
| title_short | Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy |
| title_sort | endoscopic ear examination improves self reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy |
| topic | otoscopy otolaryngology digital teaching examination practical ear pathology |
| url | http://www.egms.de/static/en/journals/zma/2022-39/zma001524.shtml |
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