
Research: Does the Addition of Ultrasound Enhance Cardiac Anatomy Learning in Undergraduate Medical Education?
Author(s) -
Joshua Durbin,
Amer M. Johri,
Anthony J. Sanfilippo
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
pocus journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2369-8543
DOI - 10.24908/pocus.v2i1.13271
Subject(s) - cardiac ultrasound , point of care ultrasound , medicine , psychological intervention , cohort , medical education , test (biology) , ultrasound , medical physics , radiology , nursing , paleontology , biology
With the advent of portable hand-held ultrasound units, the use of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has become increasingly popular amongst a wide array of medical specialists for both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Canada-wide surveys demonstrate a desire for increased utilization of POCUS in primary medical education. In this study, we aim to assess the efficacy of an ultrasound based anatomy tutorial and the perspectives of a cohort of first year medical students at Queen’s University. Students were recruited, randomized to pre or post-test analysis, and provided with a supplementary lecture on cardiac anatomy utilizing echocardiography studies. In this study, we were unable to demonstrate a difference between understanding of basic cardiac anatomy between groups. However, we were able to report the opinions and perspectives of a small cohort of first year medical students at Queen’s University, illustrating a desire for increased exposure and training towards cardiac POCUS in primary medical education. Further evidence is required to delineate the true value of these experiences.