How to adapt first trimester ultrasound education to Tunisian trainees

To evaluate the impact of a targeted training program on the quality of NT measures performed by OBST/GYN trainees.

Prospective study. Step1: each trainee achieved 10 T1US . All were evaluated by 2 experts. Step 2: interactive training session where participants received a detailed feedback report. Step3: each candidate performed again 10 T1US. The results obtained before and after the training session were compared.

Step1: Herman score was 4.1 with 38% of unacceptable exams. There was no correlation between the score and the level of the training curriculum. Main difficulty was about obtaining sagittal plane. Step2: self-assigned score before the session overestimated image quality (4.5 Vs. 4.1, p=0.03). At the end of the session, It decreased to 3.1. Step3: a significant improvement of technical settings, mean score (5.4 Vs. 4.1; p <0.001) , percentage of acceptable images (85% Vs. 62%, p = 0.002) and sagittal plane (6.4% Vs. 2.9%; p = 0.003). Only 37% had significantly improved their scores.

The training program evaluated in this study guides the trainee in his daily self-evaluation. This preliminary study can already open discussion on the education and quality control of the T1US in our country.