Assessment of phonomicrosurgical training in otolaryngology residencies: a resident survey.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The primary objective of this study is to assess the adequacy of clinical and laboratory-based phonomicrosurgical training in otolaryngology residency programs using a self-report survey. The study aims to establish whether there is a need and desire for focused surgical training in phonomicrosurgery. STUDY DESIGN Self-report Internet-based questionnaire. METHODS An anonymous survey was sent to all current residents in otolaryngology training programs in the United States and Canada. For portions of the analysis, the residents were categorized into two groups--junior (R2 and R3) and senior (R4 and R5). RESULTS One hundred ninety-one residents responded to the survey (USA: 166; Canada: 25), representing a 34.3% response rate. Approximately one-half of residents stated that their residency program includes a rotation during which the main emphasis is laryngology. Only 18.8% of residents were "very" satisfied with the phonomicrosurgery experience that their program offers and 21.6% of senior residents felt "very" comfortable performing a phonomicrosurgical removal of a vocal fold lesion. Whereas the vast majority of respondents found temporal bone laboratory training to be helpful, 82% had never performed laboratory training in phonomicrosurgery. The majority (87.4%) felt that their comfort level with phonomicrosurgery would increase if they had access to laboratory-based training. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that there is a lack of emphasis on clinical and laboratory-based training in phonomicrosurgery and that there is a need and desire for focused surgical training in phonomicrosurgery.