UNITED INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SCHOOLS
Mastering the Airway: A Critical Skill for Every Clinician
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Among the most vital skills in emergency and critical care medicine is knowing how to manage a patient’s airway—and at Evolence, students got a hands-on opportunity to learn just that. The workshop was led by Dr. OndÅ™ej Ferra, an LF2 graduate and current anesthesiologist, who guided participants through one of the most high-stakes skill sets in clinical practice
Airway management is about ensuring that a patient can breathe—or helping them do so when they can’t on their own. Whether in the operating room, the emergency department, or even at the scene of an accident, the ability to recognize and act on a compromised airway can be the difference between life and death. Even in basic first aid, techniques like positioning the head correctly, using a face mask, or inserting an oropharyngeal airway can buy precious time while waiting for advanced care.
During the workshop, students practiced with a range of airway devices and techniques, including:
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Face masks and bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation – for manual oxygen delivery in unconscious or apneic patients.
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Oropharyngeal airways – simple plastic devices that prevent the tongue from blocking the airway in unresponsive patients.
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Laryngeal mask airways (LMAs) – commonly used in anesthesia and emergencies when intubation is difficult or unavailable.
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Endotracheal intubation – the gold standard for securing the airway, especially during surgeries or in critically ill patients.
Dr. Ferra didn't just explain the steps—he also shared real-world insights from anesthesiology practice, breaking down what to do when things don’t go as planned, and what it feels like to take responsibility for a patient’s airway when seconds matter. Students utilized this opportunity to try each method repeatedly, getting used to the equipment and learning how to deal with common challenges.
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What made the session especially impactful was how clearly it connected to situations students might face—not just in the future as doctors, but even now as first responders, volunteers, or during clinical rotations. Learning to recognize airway obstruction, knowing when to intervene, and being able to act confidently could make a life-saving difference.
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By the end of the workshop, participants left with more than just technical practice—they walked away with a better understanding of why airway management matters, and the confidence that they could step up and help if the moment ever came.