Interprofessional Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training of Resident Physicians by Sonography Student-Coaches

Abstract

Introduction Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education is growing throughout medical education, but many institutions lack POCUS-trained faculty. Interprofessional education offers a strategy for expanding the pool of available teachers while providing an opportunity for collaboration between health professional students. Methods Six students enrolled in the diagnostic medical sonography (DMS) program participated in a case-based, train-the-trainer session to practice a standardized approach for POCUS instruction. They then served as coaches to 25 first-year internal medicine residents learning to perform ultrasound exams of the kidneys, bladder, and aorta. Course assessment included an objective structured exam (OSCE), coaching evaluations, and course evaluations. Results Residents scored an average of 81% (71.3 out of 88 points, SD = 7.5) on the OSCE. Residents rated the DMS student-coaches positively on all teacher evaluation questions. Both the residents and DMS student-coaches gave positive course evaluations scores. Discussion An interprofessional workshop with DMS students coaching internal medicine residents was an effective strategy for teaching POCUS skills. This approach may offer a solution for programs wanting to implement POCUS training with limited faculty expertise or time.

Keywords

• Point-of-Care Ultrasound
• Interprofessional Education
• Ultrasonography
• Ultrasound Skills
• Clinical Skills Assessment/OSCEs
• Clinical Teaching/Bedside Teaching