Quantifying Medical Student Education and Exposure to Otolaryngology

Objectives: Evaluate the educational and exposure opportunities provided to students by national otolaryngology organizations. Methods: Twenty-four otolaryngology organizations and subspecialty societies were reviewed for medical student involvement opportunities, educational and enrichment opportunities, costs of involvement, and available research and travel scholarships. Results: Nine organizations (37.5%) offered membership; 6 charged a membership fee, averaging $ 73 +/- $ 30 (mean +/- SD). Membership was limited to associate status for 7 organizations (77.8%; 7/9). Three organizations (12.5%) provided service opportunities, 4 (16.7%) allowed students to vote, and 1 (4.2%) allowed students to endorse others for membership. Most organizations allowed students to attend conferences (95.8%), and 19 (79.2%) allowed students to present research. Twenty-one (87.5%) organizations charged a conference registration fee ($ 366 +/- $ 300). Seven organizations (29.2%) offered research scholarships, and 5 (20.8%) offered travel awards. Conclusions: Opportunities exist for medical students to attend conferences and present research; however, educational and enrichment activities in other areas were limited. Future efforts may be warranted to increase the number and type of opportunities for students.