[Educational usefulness of lung auscultation training with an auscultation simulator].

Objective: We examined the educational usefulness of lung auscultation training with an auscultation simulator "Mr. Lung".

Methods: Auscultation training was conducted for fifth-year students of the Medical Department of the University of Miyazaki, and consisted of a lecture by a pulmonologist (Board Certified Member of the Japanese Respiratory Society) and skill training using Mr. Lung for a total of 90 min. We compared the percentages of students who correctly identified 4 adventitious sounds before and after training. We also investigated the responses to a self-report questionnaire on self-evaluation after training, auscultation experiences before training, and opinions regarding medical education with the simulator.

Results: The subjects' correct answer rate before training was 40% or less and that for the correct identification of rhonchi was the lowest (5%). The correct answer rate, which was not influenced by previous experience of auscultation, significantly increased after training (80% or more). In the self-report questionnaire, about 90% of the students answered that the ability to identify lung sounds by auscultation was necessary for all doctors and that the simulator was effective for acquiring this skill.

Conclusion: The auscultation simulator may be useful for medical students not only to enhance auscultatory skills but also to realize the importance of auscultation in clinical examination.