Using Echocardiography as a Promising Adjunctive Teaching Tool for Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology

Abstract

A transformation in medical education is currently underway which prioritizes competency and clinical integration with basic sciences. Here we are exploring the feasibility of early echocardiography (Echo) experience as an adjunct tool for teaching heart anatomy and physiology to second year medical students.The study was conducted on 100 students in a problem‐based learning curriculum. Students were introduced to cardiac anatomy and physiology as well as the basic principles of ultrasonography before the Echo sessions. A pretest was conducted at the beginning of the Echo theoretical session, consisting of 10 questions on Echo images. The practical sessions included hands‐on experience on standardized patients with a checklist of structures that are commonly demonstrated in left parasternal and apical four chamber windows. A post‐test with the same questions was repeated after the clinical sessions.The post‐test outcome revealed a significant improvement in identifying the cardiac structures and function in comparison to the pre‐test (P value 蠄 0.0001) imageAlthough the students were very accurate in identifying heart chambers and valves without assistance, the pulmonary artery and valve in the parasternal short axis were mostly able to be identified with assistance. Furthermore 95% of students admitted that prior basic knowledge is essential for Echo images identification and 86% stated that integrating this experience is helpful in consolidating different phases of the cardiac cycle.ConclusionSpatial orientation offered by Echo with prior basic knowledge seems to provide an effective tool in consolidating medical student's understanding of heart anatomical relations and cardiac physiology.