Learning curves in abdominal ultrasound in medical students.

Abstract

Aims: Ultrasound (US) is an essential diagnostic and educational tool in medical practice, and its effective implementation into medical curricula is critical. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of two disparate educational approaches-an optional semester course and a specifically curated intensive workshop-on the learning curve of medical students in abdominal ultrasonography.

Material and methods: Engaging fourth and fifth-year medical students, this study, incorporated both theoretical and practical elements of US, providing participants with hands-on experience and evaluative assessments pre- and post-training. Students were segregated into two groups: one experienced a 14-hour optional semester course and the other a 6-hour intensive workshop, both yielding distinct teaching methodologies yet aspiring for synonymous educational outcomes.

Results: Involving a total of 93 participants, findings elucidated that regardless of the educational method employed, post-training identification of US structures exhibited a significant enhancement compared to pre-training. Interestingly, no substantial disparities were discerned between the two educational approaches nor gender-based differences in learning outcomes.

Conclusions: This investigation provides pivotal insights into the versatile utility of different educational strategies in abdominal US training for medical students, affirming that varied pedagogical methods can achieve comparable augmentations in student proficiency. Further research is paramount to ascertain the optimal integration of US education into medicalcurricula, considering aspects such as duration, depth, and mode of delivery.