Teaching Module on Ultrasound-Guided Venous Access Using a Homemade Gel Model for Fourth-Year Medical Students.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Point-of-Care Ultrasound
• Vascular Access

Background:

• Ultrasound-guided vascular access is crucial for patients with difficult venous access.
• Previous training programs focused on junior medical students, limiting applicability to senior trainees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a concise ultrasound-guided intravenous (IV) access training module for fourth-year medical students.
• To assess student proficiency and perceived learning in performing ultrasound-guided IV cannulation.

Main Methods:

• A teaching module included a brief lecture, orientation, and hands-on practice with ultrasound-guided IV placement on gel models.
• Emergency medicine residents facilitated the training, assessing student skills using standardized evaluations.
• Fourth-year medical students completed pre- and post-module surveys to measure knowledge and comfort.

Main Results:

• 150 fourth-year medical students (94% of the class) participated, with 84% achieving successful cannulation on the first attempt.
• Post-module, 59% of students could perform the procedure with direct supervision, and 29% with indirect supervision.
• Significant improvements were observed in understanding indications, anatomy, and procedural comfort (p < .001).

Conclusions:

• The ultrasound-guided IV access module effectively trained senior medical students to an independent or supervised proficiency level.
• The training significantly enhanced students' perceived knowledge and procedural comfort, supporting its utility for residency preparation.