Impact of one‐day course on medical student knowledge, attitudes and comfort with point‐of‐care ultrasound‐guided procedures

Abstract

Introduction: Given the ubiquity of procedural ultrasound in clinical practice, the importance of exposing medical students to the topic is increasingly relevant. We examined final-year medical student knowledge, attitudes and comfort level with procedural ultrasound before and after a one-day course. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional survey of final-year students at a single university. We collected data regarding ultrasound experience, career goals and knowledge of procedural ultrasound, as well as attitudes and comfort (each assessed with three questions using a Likert scale). All students were sent a pre-and post-test survey, and we compared pre-and post-test results using the chi-square test, with a two-tailed P-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: All of the 94 course participants completed both the pre-and post-tests. Of the 23 non-participants, 16 (70%) completed both pre-and post-tests. Almost all (99%) respondents reported some prior ultrasound exposure, but only 34% had previously performed at least one core procedure with ultrasound guidance. Among participants, we found a 13% average increase in knowledge score (P < 0.05) between pre-and post-tests; there was no significant change in knowledge score among nonparticipants. Among participants, we also found an increase in positive attitudes (P < 0.05 for two of three questions) and an increased comfort level with procedural ultrasound (P < 0.05 for all three questions). Discussion: A one-day course can impact medical student knowledge, attitudes and comfort with the use of ultrasound for procedural guidance. Conclusion: Further research is needed to assess long-term outcomes and explore alternative educational modalities.

Effectiveness of a short course on undergraduate medical students' acquisition of basic ultrasound skills: Findings from a Saudi university

“…[ 7 ] A one-day course can influence medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and comfort with using US for procedural guidance. [ 8 ] Students learn US techniques in hands-on laboratories that cover all body regions and systems. [ 9 ] However, a systematic review found that introducing ultrasound training in undergraduate medical education did not result in significant improvement in students' understanding of anatomy.…”