Effectiveness and Learner Perception of a Gamified Distance-Learning Program for Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Ultrasound Technology
• Distance Learning

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated remote learning, impacting hands-on medical training like point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS).
• Developing effective online methods for teaching POCUS image acquisition is challenging.
• Traditional in-person training methods were disrupted, requiring innovative solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a gamified distance learning approach for teaching POCUS.
• To evaluate medical students' perceptions of online POCUS gamification.
• To measure changes in POCUS knowledge and confidence levels.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving third-year medical students with limited ultrasound experience.
• Implementation of an online POCUS didactic lecture and a POCUS Pictionary gamified session.
• Pre- and post-testing, along with a post-session survey to gather data on knowledge and confidence.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant improvement in POCUS knowledge was observed, with average scores increasing from 53.3% to 84.0% (p<0.001).
• Students reported increased confidence in performing various POCUS applications after the sessions.
• Familiarity with specific POCUS applications like eFAST, peripheral nerves, and soft-tissue ultrasound improved.

Conclusions:

• Gamified distance learning significantly enhanced medical students' POCUS knowledge and confidence.
• While online methods show promise, students expressed a strong preference for in-person, hands-on POCUS training.
• The study highlights the need for blended learning approaches to optimize POCUS education.