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Objectives/hypothesis: To examine the effects of a learner-centered educational curriculum for Johns Hopkins otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residents in improving their otolaryngology training examination (OTE) scores. We hypothesized that trainees who attend a learner-centered program demonstrate improved performance on OTEs., Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study., Methods: In September 2008, a resident-designed educational curriculum was implemented to better prepare residents for their OTE. These mandatory sessions, led by faculty members, were held for an hour every week, during in which residents were tested on their knowledge of high-yield topics. Residents were expected to be prepared on pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the selected diseases. In 2011, residents were given responsibility to lead these sessions. OTE scores from 2002 to 2012 were analyzed to see whether there was any improvement after the implementation of this curriculum., Results: Clustered linear regression analysis revealed significant improvement of OTE scores with subsequent interventions. During a 3-year period (2009-2011) after the first intervention, there was a significant increase (P = .01) of 0.69 in mean national and 0.78 in mean group stanine scoring. Similarly, after the second intervention in 2011, a further increment of 1.36 in mean national and 1.58 in mean group stanine scoring was seen (P = .001)., Conclusions: Residents OTE stanines improved significantly after the implementation of a learner-centered educational curriculum. This finding suggests that trainees are able to perform better when involved in planning and implementing the educational curriculum., (© 2014 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objectives/hypothesis: Kolb portrays four learning styles depending on how an individual grasps or transforms experience: accommodating, assimilating, diverging, and converging. Past studies in surgery, medicine, and anesthesia identified the predominant learning style in each of these specialties. The prevalence of different learning styles and existence of a predominant style, if any, has not been reported for otolaryngology residency programs. The purpose of our study was to determine if otolaryngology residents have a preferred learning style that is different from the predominant learning styles reported for other specialties., Study Design: We conducted a survey of the otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residents at two residency programs., Methods: Kolb's Learning Style Index (LSI) version 3.1 was administered to 46 residents from Johns Hopkins University and Kansas University Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery programs. LSI is a widely used 12-item questionnaire, with each item followed by four options. The subjects graded the options depending on how the options applied to them., Results: Forty-three otolaryngology residents completed the survey, with a response rate of 93.47%. The predominant learning style was converging (55.81%) followed by accommodating (18.61%), accounting for the learning styles of 74.42% of the total population. There were only 13.95% assimilating and 6.98% diverging learning styles. Two residents (4.65%) had their preference balanced across four learning styles., Conclusions: The predominant learning styles in otolaryngology were converging and accommodating, accounting for three fourths of the population. It would be desirable to modify our curriculum in a way that will optimize and facilitate learning.