Medical Students' Competency in EFAST (Extended Focused Assessment Sonography for Trauma) Components: A Prospective...

Ultrasound training in undergraduate medical education is developing, and its incorporation into the curriculum requires careful planning. Extended Focused Assessment Sonography for Trauma (EFAST) is commonly taught to medical students as one of the primary applications of ultrasound. Because false-negative EFAST scans can affect patients' clinical outcomes, it is essential to evaluate the individual components of this skill. We aim to determine which EFAST components students perform sub-optimally after initial training.

In this prospective observational study, 90 medical students from two final-year cohorts were assessed in EFAST components after uniform training during the emergency medicine clerkship. All validated components of the standard EFAST exam were assessed, and a descriptive analysis of individual components of EFAST was performed.

The hepatorenal space, splenorenal space, and pelvic space fluid investigations had the lowest completion rates. Pericardial fluid, pelvic free fluid, and right thoracic pleural fluid investigations were often incorrectly applied. Fanning was most commonly missed in hepatorenal, splenorenal, and pelvic free fluid investigations, and between 12% and 50% of EFAST components had omitted reporting.

There were significant incomplete assessments for free intraperitoneal fluid, primarily due to a lack of fanning in the hepatorenal, splenorenal, and pelvic areas. Trainers can effectively enhance student performance and outcomes by targeting these challenging areas. Further research might reveal whether residents and physicians show similar trends in EFAST completion.