Ultrasound
Conditions
Keywords
Medical Education
Brief summary
Point-of care-ultrasonography has the potential to transform healthcare delivery through its diagnostic and therapeutic utility. Its use has become more widespread across a variety of clinical settings as more investigations have demonstrated its impact on patient care. This includes the use of point-of-care ultrasound by trainees, who are now utilizing this technology as part of their diagnostic assessments of patients. However, there are few studies that examine how efficiently trainees can learn point-of-care ultrasound and which training methods are more effective. The primary objective of this study is to assess whether handheld ultrasound devices, along with a year-long lecture series, improve internal medicine interns' knowledge and image interpretation skills with point-of-care ultrasound. Participants shall be randomized to receive personal access to handheld ultrasound devices to be used for learning vs. no personal access. The primary outcome will assess their interpretive ability with ultrasound images/videos. Secondary outcomes will include rates of device usage and lecture attendance.
Interventions
OTHERHandheld Ultrasound Devices
Interns in the handheld ultrasound device arm shall carry a personal handheld ultrasound device to be used for self-directed learning
Sponsors
Stanford University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Intern physicians were randomized 1:1 to receive personal access to a handheld ultrasound device vs. no device. The groups did not cross over in which intervention they received.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Internal Medicine Intern Physicians at Stanford University
Exclusion criteria
* None
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Percent Correct On Image Assessments at 1 year | 1 year | Image assessments will include videos and photographs of ultrasound images that will require the intern to interpret the image. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Reported Device Usage Rates at 1 year | 1 year | Self-reported usage rates of the ultrasound devices per week by the interns |
| Mean Lecture Attendance at 1 year | 1 year | Mean Lecture Attendance per Study Arm |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed