Resident Education of Ultrasound-Guided Procedures: A Homemade Practice Model Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Ultrasound Technology
• Procedural Simulation

Background:

• Ultrasound-guided procedures are crucial in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
• Effective training methods are needed to enhance physician proficiency.
• Current simulation models may not fully replicate the tactile feedback required for these procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of an agar model for training physicians in ultrasound-guided procedures.
• To assess improvements in procedural skills and subject comfort after using the agar model.

Main Methods:

• Eleven physical medicine and rehabilitation residents participated in a two-phase study.
• Subjects performed ultrasound-guided tasks on an agar model, with performance timed.
• A lecture on ultrasound fundamentals and percutaneous needle tenotomy was provided between phases.
• Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in performance and subjective comfort.

Main Results:

• Successful identification of anatomical structures significantly increased post-training (P = 0.003).
• Time to complete needle access tasks significantly decreased after training (P = 0.04).
• Participants reported significantly higher comfort levels with ultrasound-guided procedures (P = 0.005) and percutaneous needle tenotomy (P = 0.00004).

Conclusions:

• The agar model effectively enhances ultrasound-guided procedural skills in residents.
• Training with this model leads to improved performance and increased subject confidence.
• This simulation tool offers a valuable method for medical education in ultrasound-guided interventions.