Effectiveness of Emergency Care and Life Support Training on Medical Interns' Airway Management Skills: A Pre-Post...

Background Effective airway management is a fundamental competency for medical graduates and is essential for the initial stabilization of critically ill patients. Despite its importance, undergraduate medical training often provides limited structured opportunities for developing and sustaining airway management skills. Emergency Care and Life Support (ECLS) training, integrating simulation-based learning with hands-on practice, may enhance both knowledge retention and clinical competence. Aim and objective To evaluate the effectiveness of an ECLS training program in improving airway management knowledge and practical skills among medical interns, and to assess the retention of these competencies following subsequent clinical rotations. Methods A prospective pre-post cohort study was conducted over 12 months among 100 medical interns at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Participants underwent a five-day ECLS training program comprising interactive lectures, hands-on skill stations, and simulation-based scenarios focused on initial airway management. Knowledge was assessed using structured scenario-based questionnaires, while practical competence was evaluated using standardized clinical skill checklists. Assessments were performed at four time points: before ECLS training, immediately after training, and following clinical postings in Emergency Medicine, General Medicine, Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), Anesthesiology, and Obstetrics & Gynecology. Changes in scores were analyzed using paired Student's t-test, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results The mean scenario-based knowledge score increased significantly from 12.56 ± 1.77 before training to 17.74 ± 1.80 immediately after ECLS training (p < 0.001). Baseline clinical skills scores (17.83 ± 0.68) were maintained after the Emergency Medicine rotation (17.73 ± 0.65, p = 0.289) and improved significantly following rotations in General Medicine (18.58 ± 0.50, p = 0.001), ENT (18.64 ± 0.48, p = 0.001), and Anesthesiology (19.64 ± 0.48, p = 0.001). In contrast, clinical skills declined significantly after the Obstetrics & Gynecology rotation (17.47 ± 0.50, p = 0.001), suggesting reduced reinforcement of airway management competencies during this posting. Participants demonstrated a sustained increase in self-reported clinical competence and confidence in airway management across successive training milestones, with improvements maintained until the completion of internship. Conclusion The ECLS training program significantly enhanced medical interns' knowledge and practical skills in airway management. Competencies were largely retained or further improved during subsequent clinical rotations with regular exposure to airway management. However, a decline in performance following rotations with limited airway-related clinical experience highlights the need for periodic refresher training and targeted booster sessions to ensure sustained competency throughout internship.