Procedural training models among emergency medicine residency programs

Optimal training methods remain controversial for rarely performed emergency procedures. Previous research has failed to demonstrate the superiority or inferiority of live anesthetized animal models (LAA) as compared to other modalities. Most of the data on LAA use comes from military contexts; less information is available for civilian emergency medicine (EM) training. We sought to characterize the prevalence of LAA use among civilian EM residency programs and reasons for its use or discontinuation.

Survey study of program directors of EM residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. A 16-item questionnaire was electronically delivered to program directors, including program region, current and historical use of LAA, and attitudes regarding the optimal procedural training modalities.

Of 179 survey recipients, 83 completed the survey (46.4%). Twelve programs (14.3%) currently use LAA, and 17 programs (20.5%) report previous LAA use. Reasons for discontinuing LAA use included ethical concerns, financial and logistical limitations, political pressures, and feeling that there were superior or equivalent alternative models available. Programs that currently use LAA were more likely to rank LAA as being the most preferable training modality while programs that do not currently use LAA were more likely to rank human cadavers as the most preferable modality.

Despite a lack of data showing educational outcomes-driven differences between LAA and alternative training models, LAA use is declining among civilian EM residencies. Despite this, disagreement exists among programs that do and do not use LAA regarding the most optimal procedural training.