Stewart Bernard1, Clare Richardson2, Carsten R Hamann2, Steve Lee2, Vi Am Dinh2. 1. Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California USA (S.B., C.R., C.R.H.); and Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (S.L.), Emergency Medicine (V.A.D.), and Medicine, Division of Critical Care (V.A.D.), Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California USA. sbernard@llu.edu. 2. Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California USA (S.B., C.R., C.R.H.); and Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (S.L.), Emergency Medicine (V.A.D.), and Medicine, Division of Critical Care (V.A.D.), Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: With the increased implementation of ultrasound in medical education, it is important to continually improve instructional methods. In this study, we demonstrate that by augmenting the traditional methods of instructor demonstration and student practice on a healthy volunteer with additional modalities, such as didactic presentation, simulated pathologic cases, and simulated procedures, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of and confidence in ultrasound technique and pathology. METHODS: A multimodal curriculum was developed and applied to head and neck ultrasound sessions of our institution's Ultrasound Symposium. Participants were asked to fill out surveys rating each instructional modality as well as preinstructional and postinstructional confidence. The survey results were divided into a group of first- and second-year medical students who had previous ultrasound training and a group of third- and fourth-year students who were ultrasound "naïve." RESULTS: The survey showed that the first- and second-year student group (n = 8) had an average preinstructional confidence of 4.14/10 compared to 1.44/10 in the third- and fourth-year student group (n = 9) (P = .003). Following the instructional sessions, the students' confidence increased respectively to 8.14/10 and 7.78/10 (P= .53), showing a 4.00 (96%) increase in the first- and second-year group and a 6.34 (440%) increase in the third- and fourth-year group. The combined results of all student teaching modality ratings showed that instructor demonstration was rated the highest (9.47) and computerized simulation lowest (8.25). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our study shows that multimodal ultrasound instruction was beneficial in increasing both ultrasound-trained and ultrasound-naïve medical students' confidence in head and neck ultrasound.
OBJECTIVES: With the increased implementation of ultrasound in medical education, it is important to continually improve instructional methods. In this study, we demonstrate that by augmenting the traditional methods of instructor demonstration and student practice on a healthy volunteer with additional modalities, such as didactic presentation, simulated pathologic cases, and simulated procedures, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of and confidence in ultrasound technique and pathology. METHODS: A multimodal curriculum was developed and applied to head and neck ultrasound sessions of our institution's Ultrasound Symposium. Participants were asked to fill out surveys rating each instructional modality as well as preinstructional and postinstructional confidence. The survey results were divided into a group of first- and second-year medical students who had previous ultrasound training and a group of third- and fourth-year students who were ultrasound "naïve." RESULTS: The survey showed that the first- and second-year student group (n = 8) had an average preinstructional confidence of 4.14/10 compared to 1.44/10 in the third- and fourth-year student group (n = 9) (P = .003). Following the instructional sessions, the students' confidence increased respectively to 8.14/10 and 7.78/10 (P= .53), showing a 4.00 (96%) increase in the first- and second-year group and a 6.34 (440%) increase in the third- and fourth-year group. The combined results of all student teaching modality ratings showed that instructor demonstration was rated the highest (9.47) and computerized simulation lowest (8.25). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our study shows that multimodal ultrasound instruction was beneficial in increasing both ultrasound-trained and ultrasound-naïve medical students' confidence in head and neck ultrasound.