scholarly journals Medical Student POCUS Peer-to-Peer Teaching: Ready for Mainstream

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-14
Author(s):  
Mazen El-Baba ◽  
Kathryn Corbett ◽  
Kate Dillon ◽  
Claire Heslop
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Skill Development ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Peer Teaching ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
The Face ◽  
Competency Evaluation

Background: Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is changing the face of clinical practice and medical education. Worldwide consensus based on expert opinion has advocated for POCUS teaching in undergraduate medical school curricula. Significant barriers, including lack of available instructors and limited resources, prevents medical learners from acquiring core competencies at most institutions. Here, we describe a peer-to-peer learning POCUS workshop and advocate for the use of this type of training to meet the demands of POCUS learning. Methods: A two-day POCUS workshop was held in Toronto, Ontario with twenty-six medical student participants. The workshop was structured according to a graduated model of POCUS skill development, beginning with didactic teaching, then progressing to hands-on peer-to-peer teaching, and finishing with competency evaluation by POCUS experts. Participants completed pre-and post-workshop surveys regarding prior POCUS teaching and exposure, self-reported skill development, and feedback on the workshop itself. Results: Of the 20 respondents to the questionnaire, 70% had prior POCUS exposure, with 85% of these individuals having less than 5 hours of prior POCUS education. Eighty-five percent of students reported that the organization of the course allowed them to participate fully, and 95% of participants indicated that peer-to-peer learning was effective. Conclusion: These findings suggest that peer-to-peer POCUS teaching is an effective learning method to acquire and consolidate well-established POCUS competencies. This initiative is scalable and could be applied to all learners in various disciplines. As such, we recommend medical schools consider integration of peer-to-peer POCUS teaching into longitudinal clerkship training programs, and transition-to-residency courses.

scholarly journals Sonoist: An Innovative Peer Ultrasound Learning Initiative on Canadian Teaching Hospital Wards

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Yan ◽  
Kacper Niburski ◽  
Linda Snell
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Peer Teaching ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Clinical Exposure ◽  
Stressful Environment ◽  
Ultrasound Findings

Background: Students usually learn point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) on standardized patients, thus lacking opportunities to correlate their ultrasound findings with clinical abnormalities. Sonoist is a student-led initiative aimed at improving ultrasound training with peer-teaching and real patients. We describe here a pilot project of Sonoist, its implementation and evaluation. Methods: Sonoist was developed by Independent-Practitioner-certified medical students who teach their peers how to scan patients with abnormal clinical findings, then correlating their ultrasound findings with the physical examination. From May 2019 to February 2020, seven sessions were held, with a sessional average of 3 participants and 3 patients scanned. We collected survey data on ultrasound knowledge, participants’ perceived self-improvement, and general comments. Results were grouped by prior ultrasound training (novice n=8, experienced n=12) and year of study (1-4). Results: 20/23 completed the survey. An increase in ultrasound skill was perceived by 100% of novices and 66.7% of experienced learners. Knowledge about clinical indications for PoCUS improved in 80% of novice and 81% of experienced students; sonographic knowledge improved in 69% of novices and 81.3% of experienced learners. All novices and 91.7% of experienced learners reported that learning ultrasound was useful for correlating with physical exam and clinical diagnosis. All novices and 83% of experienced students preferred peer-to-peer teaching. Conclusion: Peer-to-peer PoCUS teaching improved medical students’ sonographic and clinical knowledge, and is perceived as useful by students. A combination of early clinical exposure and a less stressful environment from peer teaching may contribute to these results.

scholarly journals Reflective Writing about Near-Peer Blogs: A Novel Method for Introducing the Medical Humanities in Premedical Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Conrad Bracken ◽  
Ajay Major ◽  
Aleena Paul ◽  
Kirsten Ostherr
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Academic Medicine ◽  
Medical Humanities ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Reflective Writing ◽  
Premedical Students ◽  
Blog Posts

AbstractNarrative analysis, creative writing, and interactive reflective writing have been identified as valuable for professional identity formation and resilience among medical and premedical students alike. This study proposes that medical student blogs are novel pedagogical tools for fostering peer-to-peer learning in academic medicine and are currently underutilized as a near-peer resource for premedical students to learn about the medical profession. To evaluate the pedagogical utility of medical student blogs for introducing core themes in the medical humanities, the authors conducted qualitative analysis of one hundred seventy-six reflective essays by baccalaureate premedical students written in response to medical student-authored narrative blog posts. Using an iterative thematic approach, the authors identified common patterns in the reflective essays, distilled major themes, coded the essays, and conducted narrative analysis through close reading. Qualitative analysis identified three core themes (empathic conflict, bias in healthcare, and the humanity of medicine) and one overarching theme (near-peer affinities). The premedical students’ essays demonstrated significant self-reflection in response to near-peer works, discussed their perceptions of medical professionalism, and expressed concerns about their future progress through the medical education system. The essays consistently attributed the impact of the medical student narratives to the authors’ status as near-peers. The authors conclude that reading and engaging in reflective writing about near-peer blog posts encourages premedical students to develop an understanding of core concepts in the medical humanities and promotes their reflection on the profession of medicine. Thus, incorporating online blogs written by medical trainees as narrative works in medical humanities classrooms is a novel pedagogical method for fostering peer-to-peer learning in academic medicine.

scholarly journals Pre-clinical medical student cardiac point-of-care ultrasound curriculum based on the American Society of Echocardiography recommendations: a pilot and feasibility study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Jujo ◽  
Jannet J Lee-Jayaram ◽  
Brandan I Sakka ◽  
Atsushi Nakahira ◽  
Akihisa Kataoka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Scoring Systems ◽  
Recruitment Rate ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Test Scoring ◽  
American Society

Abstract Background Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training has been integrated into medical school curricula. However, there is no standardized cardiac POCUS training method for medical students. To address this issue, the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) proposed a framework for medical student cardiac POCUS training. The objective of this pilot study was to develop a medical student cardiac POCUS curriculum with test scoring systems and test the curriculum feasibility for a future definitive study.Methods Based on the ASE-recommended framework, we developed a cardiac POCUS curriculum consisting of a pre-training online module and hands-on training with a hand-held ultrasound (Butterfly iQ). The curriculum learning effects were assessed with a 10-point maximum skill test and a 40-point maximum knowledge test at pre-, immediate post-, and 8-week post-training. To determine the curriculum feasibility, we planned to recruit 6 pre-clinical medical students. We semi-quantitatively evaluated the curriculum feasibility in terms of recruitment rate, follow-up rate 8 weeks after training, instructional design of the curriculum, the effect size (ES) of the test score improvements, and participant satisfaction. Discriminatory ability of the test scoring systems were assessed by comparing the scores of the medical students, medical interns, and experts.Results Six pre-clinical medical students participated in the curriculum. The recruitment rate was 100% (6/6 students) and the follow-up rate 8 weeks after training was 100% (6/6). ESs of skill and knowledge test score differences between pre- and immediate post-, and between pre- and 8-week post-training were large. The students reported high satisfaction with the curriculum. The test scoring systems demonstrated excellent discriminatory ability between the 3 different performance levels.Conclusions This pilot study confirmed the curriculum design as feasible with instructional design modifications including the hands-on training group size, content of the cardiac POCUS lecture, hands-on teaching instructions, and hand-held ultrasound usage. Based on the pilot study findings, we plan to conduct the definitive study with the primary outcome of long-term skill retention 8 weeks after initial training. The definitive study has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04083924).

Hand-Held Point-of-Care Ultrasound: A New Tool for Veterinary Student Self-Driven Learning in the time of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. e20200131
Author(s):  
Zoë J. Williams ◽  
Abby Sage ◽  
Stephanie J. Valberg
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Present Report ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
Clinical Rotations ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Veterinary Student

The coronavirus pandemic abruptly halted all in-person clerkships, or clinical rotations, for clinical veterinary students across the United States (US). Online clerkships in radiology offered the opportunity to expand the student’s ability to interpret medical images but did not allow for the development of physical hands-on imaging skills recognized as core competencies in veterinary medicine. The present report highlights the value of providing veterinary students with a smartphone-associated Butterfly iQ point-of-care ultrasound during a 3-week self-driven virtual clerkship. During the virtual rotation, the student was able to develop the skills required to generate sufficient quality images using three horses residing on her property. The affordability, portability, ease of use of the Butterfly iQ and availability of animals made it possible to develop hands-on imaging skills when distance learning was required.

scholarly journals The Evolution of Ultrasound in Medicine: A Case Report of Point-of-care Ultrasound in the Self-diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 527-529
Author(s):  
Barry Knapp ◽  
Kean Feyzeau ◽  
Austin Smith ◽  
Donald Byars ◽  
Craig Goodmurphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Medical Student ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Lower Abdominal Pain ◽  
The Self ◽  
First Year ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound

Introduction: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education during medical school develops physicians who are properly prepared for the next generation of medicine. The authors present the case of a first-year medical student who self-diagnosed appendicitis using POCUS. Case Report: A 25-year-old, first-year medical student presented to the emergency department with lower abdominal pain. What seemed like a straightforward appendicitis presentation came with a twist; the student brought self-performed ultrasound imaging of his appendix. Conclusion: The student’s ultrasound skill set reflects favorably on the rapid evolution of ultrasound teaching in medical education.

scholarly journals Pre-clinical medical student cardiac point-of-care ultrasound curriculum based on the American Society of Echocardiography recommendations: a pilot and feasibility study

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Jujo ◽  
Jannet J. Lee-Jayaram ◽  
Brandan I. Sakka ◽  
Atsushi Nakahira ◽  
Akihisa Kataoka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Recruitment Rate ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Skill Test ◽  
Hands On ◽  
American Society ◽  
Test Retest Reliability

Abstract Background Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training has been integrated into medical school curricula. However, there is no standardized cardiac POCUS training method for medical students. To address this issue, the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) proposed a framework for medical student cardiac POCUS training. The objective of this pilot study was to develop a medical student cardiac POCUS curriculum with test scoring systems and test the curriculum feasibility for a future definitive study. Methods Based on the ASE-recommended framework, we developed a cardiac POCUS curriculum consisting of a pre-training online module and hands-on training with a hand-held ultrasound (Butterfly iQ, Butterfly Network Inc., Guilford, CT, USA). The curriculum learning effects were assessed with a 10-point maximum skill test and a 40-point maximum knowledge test at pre-, immediate post-, and 8-week post-training. To determine the curriculum feasibility, we planned to recruit 6 pre-clinical medical students. We semi-quantitatively evaluated the curriculum feasibility in terms of recruitment rate, follow-up rate 8 weeks after training, instructional design of the curriculum, the effect size (ES) of the test score improvements, and participant satisfaction. To gather validity evidence of the skill test, interrater and test-retest reliability of 3 blinded raters were assessed. Results Six pre-clinical medical students participated in the curriculum. The recruitment rate was 100% (6/6 students) and the follow-up rate 8 weeks after training was 100% (6/6). ESs of skill and knowledge test score differences between pre- and immediate post-, and between pre- and 8-week post-training were large. The students reported high satisfaction with the curriculum. Both interrater and test-retest reliability of the skill test were excellent. Conclusions This pilot study confirmed the curriculum design as feasible with instructional design modifications including the hands-on training group size, content of the cardiac POCUS lecture, hands-on teaching instructions, and hand-held ultrasound usage. Based on the pilot study findings, we plan to conduct the definitive study with the primary outcome of long-term skill retention 8 weeks after initial training. The definitive study has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04083924).

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