Outcomes of three different ways to train medical students as ultrasound tutors

• Main Authors: Nora Celebi, Jan Griewatz, Nisar Peter Malek, Tatjana Hoffmann, Carina Walter, Reinhold Muller, Reimer Riessen, Jan Pauluschke-Fröhlich, Ines Debove, Stephan Zipfel, Eckhart Fröhlich
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2019-05-01
• Series: BMC Medical Education
• Subjects: Undergraduate medical education; Ultrasound education; Student instructor education; Ultrasound tutor skill acquisition; Internship; Course
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-019-1556-4

Abstract Background In order to provide faculty-wide undergraduate ultrasound training in times of scarce resources, many medical faculties employ trained peer-student tutors to oversee the hands-on training. However, data to guide the training of ultrasound peer-student tutors are scarce. We conducted a prospective quasi-randomized study to assess the gain in theoretical knowledge and practical scanning skills of peer-student tutors who were trained with a course only, an internship only, or the combination of a course and an internship. Methods A total of 44 peer-student tutors were trained by a one-week course only (C-Group, n = 21), by an internship only (I-Group, n = 10) or by a course and an internship (CI-Group, n = 13). Prior to and after the completion of the training the peer-student tutors completed an MC-test (theoretical knowledge) and an OSCE (practical scanning skills). Results With all three education concepts, the peer-student tutors had significant and comparable gains in theoretical knowledge (C-group + 90%, I-group + 61.5%, CI-group + 114.0%) and practical scanning skills (C-group + 112.0%, I-group + 155.0% and CI-group + 123.5%), all p < 0.001. Conclusion Peer-student tutors, who were trained with a course or an internship or a course and internship improved their theoretical knowledge and their practical scanning skills significantly and to a comparable degree.