Surgical trainees routinely operate in high-stakes, high-pressure environments that demand rapid decision-making, clear communication, and emotional resilience. Yet, formal training in these skills—particularly under conditions of uncertainty—is limited. To address this gap, we developed an arts-based intervention using comedic improvisation to strengthen communication, adaptability, and team cohesion among otolaryngology residents. Drawing on established principles from improvisational theater, this 6-week training incorporated structured warm-up games and exercises designed to enhance clinical decision-making, emotional regulation, and social connectedness in OHNS trainees.  Classes were led by Sammy Wegent, an experienced improvisation instructor and co-founder of Mindless, Inc., an applied improvisation organization delivering training across settings including corporate teams, healthcare professionals, and community populations.

In this pilot study, residents participated in a structured series of group improv sessions supplemented by brief weekly exercises designed to reinforce spontaneous thinking and communication. We evaluated the impact of this training on clinical decision-making, stress, mood, and team connectedness using validated measures and simulated intraoperative scenarios; data analysis is ongoing. This work advances an innovative yet evidence-informed model for integrating the arts into medical education, with the goal of improving both cognitive performance and clinician well-being in demanding healthcare settings.