Assessing the Effect of Different Teaching Methods on Left Atrial-to-Aortic Ratio Image Acquisition and Image...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medical Education
• Echocardiography
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• The left atrial-to-aortic ratio (LA:Ao) is a critical echocardiographic measurement.
• Effective teaching methods are essential for veterinary students to master LA:Ao image acquisition and interpretation.
• Assessing different pedagogical approaches can optimize learning outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of three distinct teaching strategies on veterinary students' ability to acquire and interpret LA:Ao images.
• To assess the influence of these methods on student confidence and long-term knowledge retention.
• To compare video-based learning with in-person and hands-on instruction.

Main Methods:

• A prospective educational study was conducted with 36 preclinical veterinary students.
• Students were randomized into three groups, receiving video instruction, in-person teaching, or instructor-led hands-on training.
• Confidence surveys and LA:Ao image acquisition/interpretation assessments were performed at multiple time points.

Main Results:

• All groups showed improved confidence in LA:Ao image interpretation; only the hands-on group improved in ultrasound operation confidence.
• Interpretable LA:Ao views were acquired by significantly more students in the hands-on group at T1 (7/12) compared to video-only (2/10) or in-person (4/12).
• Image interpretation scores remained comparable across groups at T1, but the hands-on group showed higher median scores at T2 (4/5).

Conclusions:

• Instructor-led, hands-on teaching enhanced LA:Ao image acquisition success, though not statistically significant due to sample size.
• Video-based instruction alone proved adequate for developing proficiency in LA:Ao image interpretation.
• Tailored teaching methods can improve specific echocardiographic skills and student confidence.