Explorers Course 2025:
Surgical & Medical Management of Airway Disease in Otolaryngology

Hybrid Course with 90 Days of Access
February 27 to May 30
March 27-29 – Live/Live Stream at The Hythe, Vail, CO

As a hybrid course, we are excited to offer both live in-person and virtual participation.

Purpose

The Education Committee is reimagining our course curriculum to offer content better aligned with your practice. Focusing on surgical and medical management of airway disease in ENT, we are designing a two-year course that will allow for deeper dives into the content focus each year with both clinical and practical aspects. For 2025, the course will take a deep dive into advanced allergy management, otology, upper airway, asthma, chronic cough, olfaction, and more. Jennifer Villwock, MD, FAAOA and Jack Krouse, MD, PhD, MBA, FAAOA are still refining the curriculum. Watch for more details.

Content Areas

Otology

• Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
• Immunology & Physiology
• Allergy & Otologic Links

Upper Airway

• OSA & Allergies
• OSA Diagnosis & Management

Asthma

• Unified Airway Overview
• Assessment, Testing, Spirometry Treatment Guidelines

Chronic Cough

• Overview
• Clinical Pearls for Adults
• What Not to Miss in Kids

Olfaction

• Physiology
• Assessment
• Treatment

Practice Management

• Adding SLIT/SCIT
• Adding OSA Evaluation & Management into Practice
• Ultrasound

Explorers Course 2026 Teasers

• Geriatrics
• Climate & Environmental Extremes
• Food Additive
• Complementary & Alternative Medicine
• Drug Allergy

Target Audience

The course is structured for otolaryngologists to take a deeper dive into surgical and medical interventions for allergy and inflammatory disease in the ENT practice.  Focused on the state-of-the-art, this course is designed to provide contemporary clinical updates and tools for practice. Residents, Advanced Practitioners, and Allied Health who work in otolaryngology may find the program beneficial in their clinical role.  As a hybrid, course participants can engage with the faculty and each other via the Whova app and during face-to-face opportunities for those who attend the live component in Vail.

Expected Results

The Explorers Course is intended to advance physician competence and performance and is intended to result in improved patient care outcomes. Upon completion of the course, participants should demonstrate competence in the evaluation and management of the allergic patient, understand how conditions such as otologic disease and sleep apnea interact with allergy and benefit from its management, how incorporating advanced techniques in airway and sleep can add value for your practice, what’s on the horizon for the medical and surgical management of these conditions, and special topics such as managing allergy in the geriatric patient and how global weather extremes impact allergy and the airway. This year’s course also includes a hands-on ultrasound skills session. Don’t forget to attend the course-concluding slime-making lab! Key allergy and immunology concepts will be reinforced as attendees compete using different proportions of ingredients (glue, activator, fluid), “cytokines” (slime charms), and colors to create the best airway disease mucous.

Accreditation Statement

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy designates this live activity for a maximum of  TBD AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ABOHNS Continuing Certification Recognition Statement

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn their required annual part II self-assessment credit in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s Continuing Certification program (CC, formerly known as MOC). It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of recognizing participation.

Looking for More Value? AAOA is now aligned to offer CME credits for eligible ABOHNS Diplomates for Continuing Certification (CC). As an AAOA member can choose to participate in ABOHNS Continuing Certification credits (CC Part II: Self-Assessment credits by click the CC option when registering for this activity.  Make sure you update your member profile when you register to help assure you can receive Continuing Certification credit.

The AAOA is making the participation in ABOHNS Continuing Certification credits (CC) free for AAOA members with this CME course registration. CC opt-in option is complimentary until the course ends. You will be asked to pay $100 late fee if you miss the deadline and still want to claim Continuing Certification credits (CC) for this activity.  Non Members can also participate in ABOHNS continuing certification for an additional fee.

Learn more by visiting the ABOHNS Continuing Certification credits (CC) page.

COVID-19 Safety

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, we encourage taking personal safeguards, including but not limited to vaccination and/or wearing a mask in the meeting, to help protect your health and the health of our members and community at large.  

While there are currently no restrictions in place, attendees must adhere to any updated requirements and guidelines of the State of Colorado, the City of Vail as well as the event.   

AAOA will continue to monitor state and federal requirements and will update our policy accordingly.