Visuospatial skills are better predictors than dexterity for basic ultrasonographic and fluoroscopic skills in veterinary students

Abstract

Radiological skills including ultrasonography and fluoroscopy, require a combination of manual dexterity and visuospatial skill to develop competency. The ability to detect veterinary students with an interest in radiology but who are deficient in these skills, may permit more individual adaptations to training programs, allowing for students training in radiology to achieve maximal potential. The objective of this cohort study was to investigate whether innate dexterity and visuospatial skill could be used to predict performance of basic ultrasound and fluoroscopic skills in veterinary students. Fifty veterinary students from the Ontario Veterinary College completed three tests of visuospatial ability, two tests of manual dexterity, a three-dimensional mouse task, an ultrasound skill-testing task, and a fluoroscopic skill-testing task. Students who reported chopstick use completed the non-dominant hand ultrasound task significantly faster than students who did not (P = 0.001). There was a significant positive association between scores on the Mental Rotations Test and time to complete the non-dominant hand ultrasound task (P = 0.011) and fluoroscopy task (P = 0.029). No variables were associated with time to complete the dominant hand ultrasound task. The results of this study suggest that visuospatial skill, as assessed by the Mental Rotations Test, is a better predictor of baseline ultrasound and endovascular fluoroscopy skill than dexterity, with the exception of reported chopstick use, in veterinary students. Visuospatial skills can be developed and may be useful to include in the veterinary curriculum for students that are deficient, or students entering a field such as diagnostic imaging.

Unravelling the skillset of point-of-care ultrasound: a systematic review

“…One study reported a significant relationship between the Dimensionless Squared Jerk, a validated motion metric that measures deliberate hand movements, and US expertise in obstetric US [ 58 ], while the other three papers did not find a significant relationship between psychomotor skills and US competence. [ 45 , 48 , 49 ] No correlation or determination coefficient was reported in the studies. Walker [ 49 ] found a regression coefficient of 0.00056 ( p = 0.580) for the Grooved Pegboard test performed by the non-dominant hand, and of − 0.0013 ( p = 0.329) when it was executed by the dominant hand, and time to complete an ultrasound guided cystocentesis task.…”

“…[ 45 , 48 , 49 ] No correlation or determination coefficient was reported in the studies. Walker [ 49 ] found a regression coefficient of 0.00056 ( p = 0.580) for the Grooved Pegboard test performed by the non-dominant hand, and of − 0.0013 ( p = 0.329) when it was executed by the dominant hand, and time to complete an ultrasound guided cystocentesis task.…”

A narrative review of psychomotor abilities in medical sciences: Definition, categorization, tests, and training

“…[ 33 34 ] Table 2 lists the tests related to the psychomotor domain used in medical sciences. [ 6 8 35 36 37 38 39 ] Attempts have been made, as far as possible, to note standard tests.…”

Use of color‐coded, three‐dimensional‐printed equine carpus models is preferred by students but does not result in statistically different academic performance

“…and the need to maintain anonymity due to IRB constraints, comparison of academic performance based on sex could not be performed.Heightened visuospatial skills can be particularly advantageous in diagnostic imaging due to the increased need to understand three-dimensional anatomy and perform procedures utilizing twodimensional imaging. A recent study evaluated both visuospatial aptitude and manual dexterity as predictors for baseline technical performance in simulated ultrasound and fluoroscopy tasks 28. The study found that innate visuospatial abilities as assessed by one of the three administered visuospatial tests correlated with faster ultrasound and fluoroscopic task performance, and that there were no significant differences between sexes.…”