Introduction of ultrasound into gross anatomy curriculum: perceptions of medical students

The exposure to ultrasound technology during medical school education is highly variable across institutions.

The objectives of this study were to assess medical students' perceptions of ultrasound use to teach Gross Anatomy along with traditional teaching methods, and determine their ability to identify sonographic anatomy after focused didactic sessions.

Prospective observational study. Phase I of the study included three focused ultrasound didactic sessions integrated into Gross Anatomy curriculum. During Phase II, first-year medical students completed a questionnaire.

One hundred nine subjects participated in this study; 96% (95% confidence interval [CI] 92-99%) agreed that ultrasound-based teaching increased students' knowledge of anatomy acquired through traditional teaching methods. Ninety-two percent (95% CI 87-97%) indicated that ultrasound-based teaching increases confidence to perform invasive procedures in the future. Ninety-one percent (95% CI 85-96%) believed that it is feasible to integrate ultrasound into the current Anatomy curriculum. Ninety-eight percent (95% CI 95-100%) of medical students accurately identified vascular structures on ultrasound images of normal anatomy of the neck. On a scale of 1 to 10, the average confidence level reported in interpreting the images was 7.4 (95% CI 7.1-7.7). Overall, 94% (95% CI 91-99%) accurately answered questions about ultrasound fundamentals and sonographic anatomy.

The majority of medical students believed that it is feasible and beneficial to use ultrasound in conjunction with traditional teaching methods to teach Gross Anatomy. Medical students were very accurate in identifying sonographic vascular anatomy of the neck after brief didactic sessions.