Using Ultrasound to Augment Exam Skills Among Clerkship Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Musculoskeletal Medicine

Background:

• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly integrated into medical training.
• Family medicine clerkships are suitable for introducing musculoskeletal (MSK) education.
• Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) can enhance MSK teaching.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the integration of MSKUS into a third-year family medicine clerkship.
• To assess the impact of MSKUS training on student understanding and objective performance.
• To gauge student interest in further POCUS education.

Main Methods:

• Third-year students received prework on ultrasound physics and MSK anatomy.
• A 2-hour hands-on session focused on shoulder and knee MSK ultrasound exams.
• Students utilized POCUS during their clerkship, with post-session surveys and OSCEs conducted.

Main Results:

• Students reported MSKUS enhanced their understanding of MSK exams.
• No significant improvement was observed in objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) scores.
• Students expressed a strong desire for additional POCUS training.

Conclusions:

• MSKUS can augment the teaching of shoulder and knee exams in undergraduate medical education.
• While not improving OSCE scores, MSKUS instruction improved student self-reported understanding.
• There is a clear demand for expanded POCUS training within undergraduate medical curricula.