[Teaching head and neck ultrasound : Current educational formats and assessment structures and their potential...

Ultrasound is an indispensable diagnostic tool in head and neck specialties. Despite technological advances, examination quality remains highly dependent on the examiner's qualification, thus placing substantial demands on training standards. Although the content of head and neck ultrasound courses in Germany (UK-KH) is homogeneous, the course formats and assessment modalities vary.

This study provides a comparative overview of the UK-KH available in Germany in 2025, both with and without thyroid-focused content. Particular emphasis is placed on the chosen teaching formats (in-person, digital, hybrid) and the assessment methods used to evaluate competency.

First, all UK-KH offered in Germany were identified and systematically analyzed using publicly available course flyers. To verify and supplement course-specific information, structured telephone interviews based on a predefined protocol were subsequently conducted.

Twelve course providers were identified, with the majority (n = 10) offering in-person courses. In addition, one fully digital, one established hybrid, and one hybrid concept currently in the testing phase were identified. Applied assessment formats included practical examinations and multiple-choice tests as well as instances in which no performance assessment was undertaken.

Although digital teaching and assessment methods are considered increasingly relevant, their systematic integration into UK-KH remains limited. To reliably evaluate the effectiveness of different formats and to promote upcoming innovation, further studies and standardized procedures for measuring examination quality and skill acquisition are required.