Commentary on Ultrasound Instruction in Undergraduate Medical Education: Perspective from Two Students

Abstract

Background: Ultrasound integration in undergraduate medical education (UME) has been a focused endeavor in recent years. According to the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, more than a third of all US medical schools have adopted a focused ultrasound training program for medical students. Medical student perspectives on best practices in ultrasound education are lacking in the literature. Curricula Experiences: Two students’ reflections are presented regarding two different didactic approaches, flipped classroom and self-study learning models, to teaching ultrasound in the pre-clinical medical education curriculum. Students present reflections on these didactic approaches to facilitate further improvement in ultrasound education curricula. Discussion: The self-directed learning model enabled students to learn foundational ultrasound exam techniques efficiently in a low-stress environment and subsequently optimized the efficiency of later faculty-led learning events. However, we noted that in both the flipped classroom and self-study learning models of education, the training on basic physical properties of ultrasound, tissue characteristics, and probe manipulation was limited. Conclusion: A self-study learning model ultrasound curricula improves perceived learning efficiency and student confidence, especially when followed by faculty-guided didactics and scanning opportunities. We suggest a framework for ultrasound education curricula that includes components of both formats of ultrasound education alongside faculty-led sessions as an ideal model of ultrasound education. Further, we propose the added benefit of inanimate object scanning to optimize students’ knowledge of waveform physics (image acquisition and physical properties of materials) early in the ultrasound education process.