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Background
The College of Emergency Medicine (CEM) expects all trainees to achieve level 1 competency in emergency ultrasound. It is unclear how much training is required to pass the triggered assessment.
Aim
To assess the ability of a 2 h training package to allow medical students with no previous experience of ultrasound to achieve level 1 competency in scanning the abdominal aorta.
Methods
Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Cambridge. 14 fourth year students participated. Interventions consisted of four stages: stage 1: self-directed reading of standardised materials; stage 2: an interactive lecture on physics of ultrasound; stage 3: one-to-one practical training with a level 2 certified emergency physician; stage 4: self-directed practice aiming to achieve CEM level 1 standard by day 20. Each student was assessed by an independent level 2 competent examiner with CEM level 1 triggered assessment and a viva.
Results
13 students completed the study. For triggered assessment, 9 (69%) achieved the Grade A standard (competent to scan and interpret findings) and 4 (31%) achieved Grade B (needs supervision and if scanning alone cannot rely on findings). For the viva, 11 (85%) correctly answered all five standardised questions. The measurements made by students on two volunteers (mean 16.3 mm and 16.4 mm, range 15.1–17.3 mm and 14.5–18.2 mm) were not significantly different from measurements made by level 2 competent doctors (mean 15.6 mm and 17.8 mm, range 15.1–16.0 mm and 16.5–19.1 mm, respectively, t test, p>0.05).
Discussion
This is the first emergency ultrasound training study to use an established standard to measure outcome objectively.
Conclusion
With focused training of <2 h duration, 69% of medical students with no previous experience of ultrasound were able to perform an ultrasound scan of the abdominal aorta, accurately reaching CEM level 1 standard.