Enhanced point of care ultrasound skills after additional instruction from simulated patients

Abstract

Background: Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training in Canadian undergraduate medical programs is steadily increasing. To date, the simulated patients (SPs) in our program have only provided feedback on comfort and professionalism. Involving the POCUS SPs as teachers (SP-teachers) of POCUS skills provides an additional opportunity for instruction. In this pilot study, we explored the impact of SP-teachers instructing medical trainees while they learned POCUS. Outcomes of interest included the level of proficiency achieved after the session and trainee satisfaction with the learning experience. Methods: Second year medical students were randomized into a conventional or SP-teacher learning experience. Both groups received the same video tutorial, instructor guidance, and basic SP feedback (comfort and professionalism). The SP-teaching group received additional instruction (landmarks, transducer technique, and troubleshooting) from the SP-teachers when session instructors were assisting others. Students evaluated the session and were subsequently assessed through direct observation. Results: Students that received SP-teaching scored significantly higher in both image acquisition (p = 0.029, d = 1.26) and overall entrustment (p = 0.002, d =1.75). Both groups rated their sessions highly. Conclusions: Students that received SP-teaching were observed to better acquire images and achieved higher entrustment scores. In this pilot study, SP-teachers had a positive effect on acquisition of POCUS skills.

Recommendations for POCUS Curriculum in Canadian Undergraduate Medical Education: Consensus from the Inaugural Seguin Canadian POCUS Education Conference

“…Indeed, certain American programs are successfully utilizing these professionals as instructors 26 , 27 . Additionally, involving standardized patients with POCUS knowledge can be another excellent source of POCUS learning 28 .…”

A shout-out to research staff professionals (because completing a strong research project is much harder than it looks, and it looks hard)

“…Enhanced point of care ultrasound skills after additional instruction from simulated patients by Olszynski and coauthors 17 reported on Simulated Patient Teachers and Point of Care Ultrasound skill development amongst medical students. They found that it positively affected students, as those who received simulated patient teaching performed better than those who did not.…”

Virtual Supervision of Third Year Medical Students Using Handheld POCUS Devices and Cloud-based Image Archiving Provides Opportunity for Feedback and Skill Improvement

“…In pre-clerkship, learning is facilitated in the clinical skills courses through a flipped-classroom model that includes video tutorials and hands-on scanning sessions with simulated patients for a total of 10 hours of supervised POCUS practice/student. After an introduction to POCUS fundamentals, students are shown how and when to scan for ascites, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, hydronephrosis and bladder volume 7 . These POCUS applications are integrated in the Clinical Skills curriculum and have been included in student assessment through assignments and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) stations.…”