Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Search this site
Menu

Course Objectives

The otolaryngology clerkship clinical experience occurs during third year and is a one week rotation during an 8 week block that includes: Ophthalmology, Anesthesia, and Emergency Medicine. The Otolaryngology rotation takes place at our core teaching sites or community sites from the list below.

  • Humber River Regional Hospital

  • Michael Garron Hospital

  • North York General Hospital

  • Scarborough Health Network

  • Sinai Health

  • Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

  • Unity Health Toronto - Michael’s Hospital

  • University Health Network

Each hospital develops and distributes a site-specific schedule of teaching sessions and clinical experience in the outpatient clinics. The remainder of the time will be spent on the wards, in the operating room, on seminars and self-directed learning with otoscopy and nasal packing simulators and online cases. The rotation includes a series of online seminars, covering common and important topics in otolaryngology including hearing loss, vertigo, epistaxis, rhinosinusitis, emergencies, and head and neck malignancies. Students are also given a Pediatric Otolaryngology and Audiology seminar at the Hospital for Sick Children.

In clinic, students will be responsible for taking complete otolaryngologic histories and performing relevant head and neck examinations on patients, as well as formulating differential diagnoses and plans of management which will be presented to preceptors.

Attendance in the operating room is available to students and may be arranged at their Academy with the site director at the beginning of their rotation.

Students are not expected to take call but may do so if interested. Call may be arranged with the otolaryngology residents at each hospital/Academy.

Assessment

Evaluations are based on performance on preceptor evaluations (100%).  In order to obtain Credit in the Otolaryngology course, students must receive a grade greater than 60% on the preceptor evaluation.

Students must also receive a satisfactory Professionalism evaluation (Credit/No Credit) and complete all Case Log requirements (Credit/No Credit) in order to pass the Otolaryngology clerkship.

For details, including grading regulations, and the program policies related to assessments see the course website on Elentra (registered users only).

Course Objectives

The OTL310Y course takes place over 1 week. Overall, OTL310Y provides students with:

  1. The foundation of knowledge of medical conditions involving the ears, nose, neck and upper aerodigestive tract necessary for the practice of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck surgery from the perspective of the primary care physician.

  2. The skills necessary to perform a thorough head & neck examination.

Course Director

Dr. Ambrose Lee, umecoordinator.ohns@utoronto.ca

The MD Program Competency Framework describes the Exit Competencies that graduating medical students are expected to have acquired at completion of the MD Program Curriculum.

Click here to see the full learning outcomes.

Textbooks/Learning Resources

Recommended Readings (Textbook)

Toronto Notes, Comprehensive Medical Reference and Review for MCQE 1 and USMLE 2 Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Chapter

I suggest you review the physical exam videos before starting your rotation.

Online Resources:

Comprehensive Research Experience for Medical Students (CREMS)

Research Opportunities

The University of Toronto has the most extensive biomedical and health research resources in Canada and among the best in the world. Medical students are encouraged to explore their interest in research through opportunities organized within the UME program and through other initiatives offered by individual Departments and Hospital Research Institutes affiliated with the University. The majority of such opportunities are offered during the summer, when Preclerkship students in particular are able to devote large blocks of time to research projects.

Comprehensive Research Experience for Medical Students (CREMS)

CREMS is an umbrella program that allows interested medical students to gain extracurricular research experience in various structured sub-programs without interrupting their medical studies. CREMS aims to provide participating students with an opportunity to:

  • Explore their research interests

  • Gain valuable hands-on research experience

  • Prepare for a clinical career with a good research foundation and understanding of biomedical research

  • Consider a career as a clinician-scientist

For a complete description, please see: http://md.utoronto.ca/research

Students participating in any of the CREMS programs undertake an original research project under the supervision of a member from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. The research may be in the basic, clinical, applied biomedical, or epidemiological sciences, or in social sciences/humanities related to medicine or medical practice. Projects are diverse and may involve laboratory experiments, prospective, or retrospective clinical or social studies. All potential supervisors and research projects must be approved by the CREMS Director and Advisory Committee prior to commencement of the particular CREMS program of choice.

The CREMS programs are not part of the required medical curriculum. Students participating in the CREMS programs do so in addition to the regular official curriculum and electives as set forth by the Faculty of Medicine. Moreover, students must be in good academic standing (i.e. have passing grades in all courses) both to participate and continue in any of the CREMS programs. Failure to satisfy administrative requirements of the CREMS program may also lead to dismissal from this extra-curricular activity.

For all CREMS programs, participating students are expected to present their work at the Medical Students Research Day held in late winter/early spring of the following year.
The various CREMS programs are described below:

1. CREMS Research Scholar Program

The Research Scholar program is a 20-month longitudinal program that begins in January of first year of medical school with a modest commitment of time (up to ten hours per week) for the rest of the first year. It extends as a full-time block throughout the summer between first and second year, continues during second year (again up to ten hours per week), and then concludes with a second full-time block in the summer between second and third year. A stipend of $15,000 for the entire program is provided. The CREMS Research Scholar program accommodates up to 30 students at one time. Supervisors must be full or associate members of the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies. Please check the website for deadlines and information on the application process: https://md.utoronto.ca/research

2. CREMS Summer Program

This is a 10-to-12-week full-time program that can be completed either during the summer between first and second year or during the summer between second and third year. Students may seek out a mentor independently or select from a list of potential mentors provided by the CREMS program. The chosen supervisor does not need to be affiliated with a University of Toronto graduate program. Students are selected through a competitive application process, and each receives a stipend of $5,500. Please check the website for deadlines and information on the application process: http://md.utoronto.ca/summer-research-programs

3. MAA International Health-Related Scholarships (in partnership with CREMS)

This international health program is a 10-to-12-week summer experience that enables students to conduct research in a developing country. There are usually eight to ten positions available for the summer. The scholarship are offered by the Medical Alumni Association (MAA) and are intended to cover return airfare and a modest stipend. There are two options:

  • The supervisor is a U of T faculty member who has an ongoing global health project. or

  • The project can be self-initiated, provided that the student is able to secure both a U of T faculty supervisor and an in-country supervisor.

The quality of proposed projects is adjudicated by a CREMS program committee, and the top-ranked projects will be supported. Please check the website for deadlines and information on the application process: http://md.utoronto.ca/medical-alumni-association-crems-programs

4. MAA Scholarships in Humanities and Social Sciences (in partnership with CREMS)

This program provides a 10-to-12-week summer opportunity for two students to pursue research interests in the humanities or social sciences related to medicine. Preference will be given to one project related to the history of medicine. Supervisors do not have to be from the Faculty of Medicine but must be from the University of Toronto. A stipend of $5500 is provided. Please check the website for deadlines and information on the application process: http://md.utoronto.ca/medical-alumni-association-crems-programs

Other Extra-Curricular Research Opportunities

In addition to research under the umbrella of the CREMS programs, students may participate in other research opportunities made available by individual University Departments and Institutes or by hospitals. These include pure research programs as well as combined research/clinical experiences such as the Department of Paediatrics “PeRCS” (Pediatric Research and Clinical Summer) program. Please note that the application procedures, funding practices, expected time commitment, and eligibility restrictions are at the discretion of the sponsoring Department or institution.