Simulator training in focus assessed transthoracic echocardiography (FATE) for undergraduate medical students: results from the FateSim randomized controlled trial

• Published in: BMC medical education Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 21 - 14
• Main Authors: Weimer, Johannes Matthias, Sprengart, Franziska Marietta, Vieth, Thomas, Göbel, Sebastian, Dionysopoulou, Anna, Krüger, Rebecca, Beer, Jan, Weimer, Andreas Michael, Buggenhagen, Holger, Kloeckner, Roman, Pillong, Lukas, Helfrich, Johanna, Waezsada, Elias, Wand, Philipp, Weinmann-Menke, Julia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 04.01.2025; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Basic Skills; Blended Learning; Cardiology; Competence; Control Groups; Echocardiography; Education; Educational aspects; Educational objectives; Educational research; FATE; FOCUS; High-Fidelity Simulation; Human subjects; Instructional Effectiveness; Instructional Materials; Measurement Techniques; Medical education; Medical students; Methods; Pathology; Patients; Predominantly White Institutions; Randomized controlled trials; Recognition (Achievement); Self Evaluation (Individuals); Simulation; Simulation-based training; Skill Development; Skills; Supervision; Synthetic training devices; Teaching; Test Construction; Testing; Training; Tutoring; Tutors; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasound education; Workshops; Germany; Florida; United States > US; Sarasota Florida; Simulation-based training; Ultrasound education; FATE; High-Fidelity Simulation; FOCUS; Randomized controlled trials
• ISSN: 1472-6920; 1472-6920
• DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-06564-y

Ultrasound is important in heart diagnostics, yet implementing effective cardiac ultrasound requires training. While current strategies incorporate digital learning and ultrasound simulators, the effectiveness of these simulators for learning remains uncertain. This study evaluates the effectiveness of simulator-based versus human-based training in Focused Assessed with Transthoracic Echocardiography (FATE). This single-centre, prospective, randomised controlled study was conducted during an extracurricular FATE workshop (approximately 420 min) for third-year medical students. Participants were randomly assigned to the study group (training solely on simulators) or the control group (training on human subjects). Both groups completed a theory test and a self-assessment questionnaire before the course (T ) and at the end of the training (T ). At T , all participants also completed two Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) tests-one on the simulator (DOPS ) and one on humans (DOPS ). Data from 128 participants were analysed (n = 63 study group; n = 65 control group). Both groups exhibited increased competency between the T and T self-assessments and theory tests (p < 0.01). In the DOPS assessment at T , the control group performed significantly better (p < 0.001) than the study group. While motivation remained consistently high among both groups, the study group rated their "personal overall learning experience" and the "realistic nature of the training" significantly worse than the control group (p < 0.0001). Both groups supported the use of ultrasound simulators as a "supplement to human training" (study: 1.6 ± 1.1 vs. control: 1.7 ± 1.2; p = 0.38), but not as a "replacement for human training" (study: 5.0 ± 2.3 vs. control: 5.4 ± 2.1; p = 0.37). Both simulator- and human-based training effectively developed theoretical and practical skills in FATE. However, the simulator group demonstrated significantly poorer performance when applying their skills to human subjects, indicating limitations in the transferability of this simulator-based training to real-life patient care. These limitations of simulator-based ultrasound training should be considered in future training concepts. Not Applicable.