A Consensus List of Core Competencies in Emergency Airway Management for Graduating Emergency Physicians: A Modified Delphi Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Study Objective: Emergency airway management (EAM) is a core competency in emergency medicine (EM), yet no standardized national curriculum exists for EM residency training. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) currently mandates only 35 endotracheal intubations (ETIs) for graduation, which represents a narrow component of EAM. We sought to define a comprehensive, consensus-based list of EAM competencies for all graduating EM residents. Methods: We conducted a modified Delphi study to identify essential EAM competencies. An initial list of topics was developed through a structured PubMed literature search, review of existing educational frameworks, and input from EM airway educators. Thirteen national experts in emergency airway management and education participated in iterative rounds of electronic surveys to rate and refine proposed competencies. Topics achieving > 80% agreement were included in the final list. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize agreement across rounds. Results: The first-round survey included 215 proposed topics spanning nine domains: principles of airway management, oxygen delivery, basic airway management, tracheal intubation, pharmacology, pediatric airway management, ventilator management, special clinical circumstances, and education. Consensus was achieved after two Delphi rounds and final included topics were narrowed to 148. Conclusion: Through a modified Delphi process, we developed a comprehensive, expert-derived list of EAM competencies for EM residency graduates. This framework provides a foundation for standardized, competency-based airway education and assessment in emergency medicine and may reduce variability across residency programs nationally and thus ensure preparedness for independent practice in one of the most critical skill domains in our discipline.
Source: AEM Education and Training
DOI: 10.1002/aet2.70169
Authors: Alexander Bracey, Aaron J. Lacy, Michael Gottlieb, Sue Lahey, Ryan N. Barnicle, Sean Dyer, Bryant K. Allen, Samantha J. Boyd, Catherine Burger, Katharine M. Burns, Stephanie C. DeMasi, Brian E. Driver, Kayla Enriquez, Kisa S. King, Michael Macias, Erik K. Nordquist, Verena Schandera, Stacy A. Trent, Scott D. Weingart, Matthew E. Mendes, Joseph R. Brown
Institutions: Albany Medical Center Hospital, Washington University in St. Louis, Rush University Medical Center, Albany Medical College, Brown University, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Cook County Health and Hospitals System, Carolinas Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center, Duke University, Duke Medical Center, University of Illinois Chicago, Advocate Christ Medical Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Hennepin County Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, University of New Mexico, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, University of California Davis Medical Center, University of California, Davis, Denver Health Medical Center, University of Colorado Anschutz, University of Colorado Denver, Nassau University Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7163052855