Abstract
IntroductionPoint-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is expanding across all medical specialties. As the benefits of US technology are becoming apparent, efforts to integrate US into pre-clinical medical education are growing. Our objective was to describe our process of integrating POCUS as an educational tool into the medical school curriculum and how such efforts are perceived by students.MethodsThis was a pilot study to introduce ultrasonography into the Harvard Medical School curriculum to first- and second-year medical students. Didactic and hands-on sessions were introduced to first-year students during gross anatomy and to second-year students in the physical exam course. Student-perceived attitudes, understanding, and knowledge of US, and its applications to learning the physical exam, were measured by a post-assessment survey.ResultsAll first-year anatomy students (n=176) participated in small group hands-on US sessions. In the second-year physical diagnosis course, 38 students participated in four sessions. All students (91%) agreed or strongly agreed that additional US teaching should be incorporated throughout the four-year medical school curriculum.ConclusionPOCUS can effectively be integrated into the existing medical school curriculum by using didactic and small group hands-on sessions. Medical students perceived US training as valuable in understanding human anatomy and in learning physical exam skills. This innovative program demonstrates US as an additional learning modality. Future goals include expanding on this work to incorporate US education into all four years of medical school.
Highlights
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is expanding across all medical specialties
Our objective was to describe our process of integrating POCUS as an educational tool into the medical school curriculum and how such efforts are perceived by students
All students (91%) agreed or strongly agreed that additional US teaching should be incorporated throughout the four-year medical school curriculum
Summary
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is expanding across all medical specialties. Our objective was to describe our process of integrating POCUS as an educational tool into the medical school curriculum and how such efforts are perceived by students. Multiple reports to date describe the feasibility of introducing US into medical school curricula Such efforts have been well received by students who report a high level of satisfaction with ultrasonography as well as interest in additional training and incorporation of bedside US during medical school education. Sonographic appearance of fluid, soft tissue, air, bone, vessels, and distinguish arterial from venous vessels Demonstrate and visualize ultrasound appearance of liver, kidney, gallbladder, spleen, bladder, bowel, diaphragm, aorta, vena cava. Evaluate normal and abnormal thyroid ultrasound, carotid artery, jugular vein, arterial and venous waveforms Demonstrate and visualize ultrasound appearance of muscle, tendon, bone, nerve. Inspection, palpation and physical exam maneuvers of the shoulder, knee, and ankle as listing the basic views of the FAST exam, identifying basic cardiac views, cardiac chambers, as well as very basic questions on US physics and the appearance of fluid on US
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