The effect of dyad versus individual simulation‐based ultrasound training on skills transfer

Abstract

ContextDyad practice may be as effective as individual practice during clinical skills training, improve students’ confidence, and reduce costs of training. However, there is little evidence that dyad training is non‐inferior to single‐student practice in terms of skills transfer.ObjectivesThis study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of simulation‐based ultrasound training in pairs (dyad practice) with that of training alone (single‐student practice) on skills transfer.MethodsIn a non‐inferiority trial, 30 ultrasound novices were randomised to dyad (n = 16) or single‐student (n = 14) practice. All participants completed a 2‐hour training programme on a transvaginal ultrasound simulator. Participants in the dyad group practised together and took turns as the active practitioner, whereas participants in the single group practised alone. Performance improvements were evaluated through pre‐, post‐ and transfer tests. The transfer test involved the assessment of a transvaginal ultrasound scan by one of two clinicians using the Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skills (OSAUS).ResultsThirty participants completed the simulation‐based training and 24 of these completed the transfer test. Dyad training was found to be non‐inferior to single‐student training: transfer test OSAUS scores were significantly higher than the pre‐specified non‐inferiority margin (delta score 7.8%, 95% confidence interval −3.8–19.6%; p = 0.04). More dyad (71.4%) than single (30.0%) trainees achieved OSAUS scores above a pre‐established pass/fail level in the transfer test (p = 0.05). There were significant differences in performance scores before and after training in both groups (pre‐ versus post‐test, p < 0.01) with large effect sizes (Cohen's d = 3.85) and no significant interactions between training type and performance (p = 0.59). The dyad group demonstrated higher training efficiency in terms of simulator score per number of attempts compared with the single‐student group (p = 0.03).ConclusionDyad practice improves the efficiency of simulation‐based training and is non‐inferior to individual practice in terms of skills transfer.

A Scoping Review of Ultrasound Teaching in Undergraduate Medical Education

“…Novel teaching techniques [119][120][121][122][123][124][125] This category describes papers in which a novel teaching technique was itself the primary focus of the paper. Learning benefits are reported for practicing in pairs instead of alone [120]; physician-patient role play [121]; students learning about ultrasound through their participation as simulated patients [122] and the equivalence of self-directed podcasts as a didactic learning method compared with lectures [123].…”

“…Learning benefits are reported for practicing in pairs instead of alone [120]; physician-patient role play [121]; students learning about ultrasound through their participation as simulated patients [122] and the equivalence of self-directed podcasts as a didactic learning method compared with lectures [123]. Some educators have trialled enhanced ultrasound images through fusing US images with MRI, or the employment of simple line drawings to provide a reference for the 2D sonoanatomy images [124].…”

Simulation-Based Training in Flexible Bronchoscopy and Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA): A Systematic Review

“…Mastery learning, where the trainee must reach a certain level of competence before advancing to the next step, includes simulation-based tests with solid evidence of validity and is an essential part of simulationbased training [48] . Dyad practice, where 2 trainees practice together on the same simulator using the same time span as an individual would, was proved to be as effective as individual practice [49,50] . In 1 of our included studies [15] , the dyad practice trainees subsequently performed as well as the individual trainees.…”

Surgical Skills Simulation Center Implementation: Healthcare Continuous Quality Improvement Project

“…Dyad training reduces training costs by reducing instructor, training facility, and participant time [41]. Based on the objective structured assessment of ultrasound skills (OSAUS) dyad obstetrics simulation training has been shown to be statistically significantly better than individual simulation training, p=0.05 [42].…”