Course Prework
The Difficult Airway Course: Emergency is the only national CME program that teaches the widely-adopted, evidence-based approach to emergency airway management developed by Drs. Ron Walls, Michael Murphy and Robert Luten. In this practice-changing course you will:
  • Increase mastery of high risk airway scenarios with new sessions on the anatomically and physiologically difficult airway.
  • Learn simple, effective airway algorithms for a reproducible approach to any emergency airway.
  • Understand the challenges associated with managing pediatric airways.
  • Participate in hands-on sessions exclusively focusing on difficult and failed airways, emphasizing rescue strategies and devices.
Led by Calvin Brown, III, MD, the course emphasizes small group learning, hands-on sessions and medical simulations to reinforce learning and provide valuable practice time with proven airway devices. Join us for this intensive training and leave assured you are at the leading edge of airway management. Read more

View attendance policy in effect for courses: Click here

Upcoming Dates and Locations

Boston, MA
May 2 ‐ 4, 2025
Register
Orlando, FL
May 30 ‐ June 1, 2025
Register
Denver, CO
September 19 ‐ 21, 2025
Register
San Diego, CA
November 14 ‐ 16, 2025
Register

Course Fees:

Regular Tuition:
$1,950 USD
AAEM Rate Tuition:
$1,850 USD
For American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) Members
Gold Rate Tuition:
$1,650 USD
For Physician Assistants, Advanced Practice Nurses, Nurses & Respiratory Therapists
Silver Rate Tuition:
$1,450 USD
For Residents, Fellows, and SCP Health Medical Staff

Download Course Schedule

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Policy

A Cancellation Fee of 10% of the tuition paid will apply to all course cancellations requested up to 14 days prior to start of Course.

No refunds will be issued for cancellations requested within 14 days of the course start date.

No refunds will be granted to those who do not attend the Course without having made prior arrangements for cancellation or transfer.

If a registrant tests positive for COVID or another communicable disease, they may cancel their registration up to the start of the course. A 10% cancellation fee will be assessed. Proof of positive test will be required to initiate refund.

Alternatively, registrants may transfer to another course with no transfer or cancellation fee.

A credit for a future course will be offered to any attendee who leaves during the Course because of COVID-19 symptoms or positive test.

If Airway Management Education Center (AMEC) is required to cancel a course due to safety concerns, all attendees will receive a 100% refund or may transfer to another course.

This course has forever changed my approach to airway management. It was amazing to see how fast the field of airway research had evolved since residency. Now I know why my colleagues say this course is the top way to learn difficult airway management!

Joseph Reardon, MD

So happy the course happened live! Even with COVID precautions the hands-on sessions were great and faculty was so helpful!

Attendee, San Diego 2021

I had taken this course several years ago. It was excellent! I just completed the course again in March in San Diego. It was even better. It is the most comprehensive course on airway I have ever taken, it is well presented and the teaching labs are superb. I would recommend this course to any ED or EMS physician.

Jeffrey Gaver, MD, Arizona

Best prepared course I have ever attended. I strongly believe it should be a requirement for all physicians involved in emergency care.

O.F. Fonseca, MD. Virginia

Excellent. I will now be able to anticipate intubations rather than fear that one may be needed during any shifts at the ER.

Michael Garcia, MD. Quebec, Canada

Superlative faculty and cutting-edge information. Thank you!

Cynthia Cristofani, MD. Oregon

Highlights include: 

  • Instruction by a world-class faculty.
  • Code Airway™ stations: Challenging medical simulations to reinforce decision-making and skills.
  • Focused sessions on Pediatric Airways, Trauma, Medical Emergencies, Difficult and Failed Airways.
  • Detailed instruction in a variety of challenging patient scenarios:
    • elevated ICP
    • pulmonary edema
    • cardiogenic shock
    • status asthmaticus
    • foreign body in the airway
    • direct airway trauma
    • multiple trauma with shock
    • and many more.
  • Dynamic and interactive learning environment.

Tuition Includes:

Course textbook: The Walls Manual of Emergency Airway Management, 6th edition(© 2022 Wolters Kluwer), and The Airway Card™

Hands-on Training in
Crucial Airway Techniques

  • Percutaneous and surgical cricothyrotomy
  • Video laryngoscopy
  • Fiberoptic stylets and guides
  • Optically enhanced laryngoscopy
  • Extraglottic devices
  • Awake intubation
  • Flexible endoscopic intubation
  • Pediatric airway skills
  • Techniques for the obese patient

Endorsed By:

         

https://samhq.com                  https://www.aaem.org

Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of SCP Health and Airway Management Education Center (AMEC). SCP Health is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
AMA Credit

2024 Accreditation Information

SCP Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 21.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 

2025 Accreditation Information

SCP Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 21.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ACEP

2024 Accreditation Information

Approved by the American College of Emergency Physicians for a maximum of 21.25 hours of ACEP Category I credit.

 

2025 Accreditation Information

Please check back, accreditation information will be updated as it is received.

AAFP Credit

2024 Accreditation Information

The AAFP has reviewed The Difficult Airway Course: Emergency, and deemed it acceptable for AAFP credit. Term of approval is from 5/03/2024 to 11/10/2024. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 

2025 Accreditation Information

The AAFP has reviewed The Difficult Airway Course: Emergency and deemed it acceptable for AAFP credit. Term of approval is from 05/02/2025 to 11/16/2025. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physician Assistants

National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) accepts for Category 1 CME credit activities designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from organizations accredited by ACCME.

American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME or a recognized state medical society.

 

Schedule Download PDF

2024 Typical Course Schedule (final schedule distributed on-site)

Day 1

6:15-7:30 am

Registration and Breakfast

General Session

7:30 -8:30 am

Emergency Airway I: RSI Techniques and Pharmacology

8:30 -9:30 am

Emergency Airway II: The Anatomic and Physiologic Difficult Airway

9:30-9:45 am

Break/Exhibits

9:45 -10:30 am

Foundations in Pediatric Airway Management

10:30-12:00 pm

Case Study Panel: Medical, Trauma, Pediatric, Awake Case Studies

12:00-1:00 pm

Lunch on Your Own

1:00-3:00 pm

Breakout Sessions:
The Surgical Airway / Human Factors / The Soiled Airway

3:00-3:15pm

Break/Exhibits

3:15 -4:15 pm

Breakout Sessions:
The Surgical Airway / Human Factors / The Soiled Airway

Day 2

6:30-7:30 am

Registration and Breakfast

7:30-9:30 am

Breakout Sessions:
Code Airway™ I
Techniques in Airway Management

9:30-9:45 am

Break

9:45-11:45 pm

Breakout Sessions:
Code Airway™ I
Techniques in Airway Management

11:45-1:00 pm

Panel Lunch - Q&A (lunch provided)

1:00-1:15 pm

Human Fiberoptic Tour of the Airway

1:15-3:55 pm

Skills Stations:
Flexible Endoscopy
Pediatric Airways
Adult Video & Optical Devices

3:55-4:10 pm

Break/Exhibits

4:10-5:30 pm

Skills Stations:
Flexible Endoscopy
Pediatric Airways
Adult Video & Optical Devices

Day 3

6:30-7:30 am

Registration and Breakfast

7:30-11:30 am

Rotate Sessions:
Advanced Code Airway™
Self-Evaluation
Skills Practice

11:30-12:15 pm

Final Points & Pearls

This was truly an unparallelled opportunity to learn and train the best approaches to any airway. Operating the vast array of airway devices and tools was invaluable. The faculty were knowledgeable, personable, efficient, and entertaining. This weekend was worth every penny! Excellent course all around!
Ronnie Tisdale, MD, MPH
Selma, AL
This course has forever changed my approach to airway management. It was amazing to see how fast the field of airway research had evolved since residency. Now I know why my colleagues say this course is the top way to learn difficult airway management!
Joseph Reardon, MD
Greenville, SC
Absolutely amazing course! The hands-on part is great, faculty are very involved in helping you, giving you tips, answering questions. Truly passionate people, great quality course!
Samantha Dion-Shields, MD
Quebec, Canada
"Without a doubt, the best definitive education I have ever received for airway management."
Gilbert Thayer, MD
Texas
"Best prepared course I have ever attended. I strongly believe it should be a requirement for all physicians involved in emergency care."
O. F. Fonseca, MD
Virginia
"Beyond a doubt — the most practical and appropriate course that I have ever attended.  Fabulous!"
Jeff Weinberg Ontario,
Canada
"I traveled 10,000 miles from the UK for this course and I was not disappointed."
Simon Wyer, MRCS (Glas) MRCS (Eng) MFAEM
United Kingdom
"Superlative faculty and cutting-edge information. Thank you!'
Cynthia Cristofani, MD
Oregon
"Second time taking this course - still the best CME course I ever attended. I'll be back."
David Lublin, DO
Georgia
"One of the most important courses I have ever attended. The lectures, demos and hands-on workshops were all amazing"
Andrew Jones, MD
Florida

Purpose & Objectives

Airway Management is one of the most critical skills in Emergency Medicine. This course is designed to provide participants with
state-of-the-art information and hands-on experience that ensure effective and appropriate management of airway emergencies.

Upon successful completion of the course, the participant will be able to:
1
Have a clear conceptual framework for Difficult Airway Management in the emergency setting.
2
Be able to identify the Difficult, Unanticipated/Emergency Difficult and Failed airway.
3
Have a rapid and systematic approach for the management of each of these clinical dilemmas.
4
Be familiar with the devices and techniques needed to manage these clinical dilemmas, and when and how to use them.

Target Audience

The Difficult Airway Course: Emergency is intended for healthcare providers including Emergency Physicians,
all other physicians who work in the Emergency Department, Physician Assistants, Paramedics, Flight Nurses and Respiratory Therapists.

Endorsed by:

https://samhq.com/

https://samhq.com/