The effect of e-learning on point-of-care ultrasound education in novices

• Published in: Medical education online Vol. 28; no. 1; p. 2152522
• Main Authors: Lien, Wan-Ching, Lin, Phone, Chang, Chih-Heng, Wu, Meng-Che, Wu, Cheng-Yi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 31.12.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Access; Accuracy; Authorization; Clinical assessment; Curricula; Distance learning; e-learning; Efficacy; focused assessment of sonography for trauma (FAST); Internet; Medical education; Novices; Online instruction; Point of care testing; point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS); resident; Simulation; the first postgraduate year (PGY-1); Ultrasonic imaging
• ISSN: 1087-2981; 1087-2981
• DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2022.2152522

Current studies assessed the learning efficacy of e-learning in ultrasound (US) training using questionnaires, or simulation in well-controlled conditions. This study investigates the effect of e-learning on the clinical US performance of the first postgraduate year (PGY-1) residents. In this prospective observational study, we enrolled PGY-1 and second postgraduate year (PGY-2) residents. The e-learning was introduced on the first day and each PGY-1 was authorized to access the e-learning platform. The point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) curriculum for the focused assessment of sonography for trauma (FAST) was conducted on the 7 th day for PGY-1 and the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) followed. The PGY-2 received bedside one-to-one random learning before the study and did not have the authorization to access the e-learning. The FAST examinations performed by the PGY-1 and PGY-2 were collected on the 30th day. The clinical FAST performance was assessed by the instructor not involved in the curriculum and blinded to the use of e-learning, including numbers, image quality, and diagnostic accuracy between PGY-1 e-learning users, non-users, and the PGY-2. One hundred and seventy PGY-1 with 736 FAST examinations and 53 PGY-2 residents with 134 examinations were included. Seventy PGY-1 used e-learning with a median time spent of 13.2 mins (IQR, 6.5-21.1 mins) at the first access. The PGY-2 had more PoCUS experience than the PGY-1, however, the 70 e-learning users performed more FAST examinations than the PGY-2 (median [IQR], 4 [2-6] vs. 2 [1-3], p = 0.0004) and had better image quality than the PGY-2 (3 [3-3.2] vs. 3 [2.7-3], p = 0.044). There were no significant differences in the diagnostic accuracy between the PGY-1 and PGY-2. E-learning has a positive effect on US learning. The PGY-1 users had comparable performance with the PGY-2 and even better image acquisition although the PGY-2 had more PoCUS experience. NCT03738033 at ClinicalTrials.gov.