Perception of an Introductory Point-of-Care Ultrasound Course for Thai Medical Students on Emergency Medicine Rotation

Abstract

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is increasingly utilized in emergency departments (EDs) throughout Thailand. Although emergency medicine (EM) residents are trained in POCUS, Thai medical students receive limited training. An introductory POCUS course was implemented for medical students to prepare them for internships. Objective: This study described the perception and use of POCUS by graduates of an introductory POCUS course. Materials and Methods: Medical students who completed the POCUS course were surveyed during their intern year from 2012 to 2015. The survey collected demographic characteristics. The Likert Scale was used to assess POCUS practice patterns and perceptions of the course. Results: There were 230 respondents (98% response rate). All thought that POCUS was important. Furthermore, 96% of respondents felt that the POCUS course meaningfully impacted their ability to deliver care. POCUS use was greatest for obstetrics/gynecology and trauma cases. Over half of respondents (55.2%) felt very confident with using extended-Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma. Most respondents (81.8%) were positively impacted by the course, and 61.7% were satisfied with the scope of the course. Recommendations for improvement included increasing the course length, the content, and the hands-on time for POCUS practice. Conclusion:Graduates positively perceived the course and felt it dramatically impacted their clinical practice as novice physicians. An introductory POCUS course should be incorporated into the medical school curriculum to prepare graduates for practice. Future goals include increasing the scope of POCUS practice to help guide interns and residents in emergency patient care such as lung ultrasound in COVID-19 or pneumonia patients and studying the impact this course has on patient outcomes.

Perception, Knowledge, Indications, and Future Prospects of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Among Medical Students in Saudi Arabia

“…It appears that medical students need to be able to perform and learn how to improve skills in the use of introductory POCUS before graduation and should become familiar with an emergency ultrasound application and be exposed to additional emergency ultrasound exams throughout their clerkship to increase their ability and confidence as interns, especially those working in underserved areas with limited access to Emergency Medicine (EM) residents or EM-trained attending physicians [7]. There is ample evidence that students can learn ultrasound knowledge and skills and that they enjoy and desire more ultrasound training in medical school [8].…”