Principles for teaching sonography – current status

Abstract

Since many young medical residents require sonographic skills early on during training, increased attention has been paid to including sonography classes in undergraduate medical education, among both professional societies and medical educators responsible for medical licensing exams. Medical schools worldwide have developed and implemented a variety of ultrasound teaching formats.

This article addresses evidence-based solutions to crucial challenges in planning and implementing undergraduate sonography education. In order to achieve a sustainable increase in practical sonographic competence, we suggest small-group classes with sufficient individual hands-on scanning time for each student. We recommend concentrating on a circumscribed topic and teaching it thoroughly and practically rather than superficially outlining a broad subject area. Provided that peer teachers undergo adequate training, student peer teachers are not inferior to physicians as teachers, as far as student satisfaction, theoretical knowledge and practical skills acquisition are concerned. The assessment of acquired practical skills should consist of practical examinations, such as an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) or a direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS). In contrast to using healthy volunteers as training models, simulation trainers allow the demonstration of pathological findings in authentic sonographic images, with the disadvantages of unrealistically easy image acquisition, as well as the lack of interaction with the patient.

Zusammenfassung

Da viele junge Ärztinnen und Ärzte in Weiterbildung schon früh während ihrer Facharztausbildung sonografische Kenntnisse benötigen, fordern die Fachgesellschaften und medizinische Ausbilder die Aufnahme des Sonografie-Unterrichts in das Medizinstudium.

In den medizinischen Ausbildungszentren sind weltweit viele Lehrformate für den Ultraschall evaluiert und umgesetzt worden.

Dieser Artikel diskutiert evidenzbasierte Lösungsvorschläge für die Planung von sonografischen Lehrveranstaltungen. Mit dem Ziel einer nachhaltigen Steigerung der praktischen sonografischen Kompetenz wird Kleingruppenunterricht mit ausreichend individueller Schallzeit vorgeschlagen. Hierbei empfehlen wir, sich auf ein umschriebenes Thema zu konzentrieren und dieses umfassend und praxisnah zu vermitteln. Unter der Voraussetzung einer adäquaten Ausbildung stehen studentische „Peer“-Lehrende ärztlichen Lehrenden in Bezug auf die Zufriedenheit der Kursteilnehmenden, der Vermittlung von theoretischen und dem Erwerb praktischer Fähigkeiten nicht nach. Die Bewertung der erworbenen praktischen Fertigkeiten sollte aus praktischen Prüfungen wie z.B. aus einer objektiven strukturierten klinischen Prüfung (OSCE) oder einer direkten Beobachtung der technischen Fertigkeiten (DOPS) bestehen. Simulationstrainer ermöglichen im Gegensatz zu gesunden Menschen als Schallmodellen die Demonstration von pathologischen Befunden in authentischen sonografischen Bildern, mit den Nachteilen einer unrealistisch einfachen Bildakquisition sowie der fehlenden Interaktion mit den Patienten.

Keywords

undergraduate medical education - ultrasound education - ultrasound simulator - student tutors

Schlüsselwörter

Sonografische Ausbildung - Ultraschallausbildung - Ultraschall-Simulator - studentische Tutoren

Publication History

Received: 04 December 2022

Accepted after revision: 21 March 2023

Article published online:
04 May 2023

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