A Novel Teaching-Learning Method of Utilizing Ultrasonography as a Tool to Enhance Clinical Examination Skills of House Surgeons in Evaluating Cervical Lymph Nodes.

Abstract

A study was conducted to ascertain if ultrasonography assisted learning facilitates the House Surgeons to enhance their clinical skill of identifying enlarged cervical lymph nodes. A prospective, cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the in a Medical College for 6 months from May to October 2021. It included 50 house surgeons posted to the department of ENT on rotation and patients with one or more enlarged cervical lymph nodes. Initially an ENT teacher demonstrated clinical examination of neck for lymph nodes to the House Surgeons. Each House Surgeon examined 10 patients and their findings were matched with those of ENT specialist & Ultrasonography findings (pre TL score). Further they underwent Ultrasonography assisted learning and subsequently post TL scores were found for each House Surgeon based on their findings in 10 more patients. Paired T Test was done to ascertain statistical significance between pre TL and post TL scores. Fifty House Surgeons (mean age 23.3 years) and 258 patients (mean age 43.5 years) were included in the study. There was significant improvement in the post TL scores of the House Surgeons obtained after ultrasonography assisted learning in comparison with pre TL scores (p < 0.001). Ultrasonography assisted learning enhances the clinical examination skills of assessing for enlarged cervical lymph nodes.