Pre-Clinical OSCE Teaching: Session 7 - Otoscopy (In-Person Event)

Learning Objectives for this week:

• Describe the structures of the outer, middle and inner ear.
• Describe the processes of sensation, perception and comprehension in relation to hearing.  
• Explain the mechanism of hearing including the formation of a fluid wave at the oval window, transmission to the Organ of Corti and the conveyance of this impulse via the vestibulocochlear nerve to the cerebral cortex. 
• Perform tests for conduction and sensation (Weber’s and Rinne’s).
• Interpret observations from Weber’s and Rinne’s tests and how these two tests can be used to distinguish between conductive and sensorineural deafness. 
• Understand the setting up of an audiometer including the back panel layout and the front panel layout. 
• Explain what is being measured in an audiogram.
• Understand what is meant by the air-bone gap
• Interpret audiograms produced from an Amplivox audiometer including audiograms for: normal hearing, sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, presbycusis, noise-induced hearing loss, Ménière’s disease and otosclerosis. 
• Understand hearing thresholds and what quantifies: normal hearing, mild hearing loss, moderate hearing loss, severe hearing loss and profound hearing loss. 
• Explain which brain regions connect hearing and speech and the consequences of lesions in each of these areas.
• Understand the causes of different types of hearing loss. 
• Use an otoscope, including device settings and preparation, to examine the tympanic membrane and recognise normal outer ear structures. 
• Match views of the tympanic membrane seen on a model to a given array of images.

We will also be going over previous examination and CCA skills such as cranial nerve examination, neurological exam and history taking.