Health care professionals who perform sonography or ultrasound are trained in a sonography undergraduate program called the DMS or diagnostic medical sonography program. This specific medical course teaches them how to perform sonography for different areas or systems of the body, depending on the specialization they are taking. However, because the procedure is very basic with the skills and techniques typically learning on-the-job, other health care providers, even students, have started learning how to perform it.
Pilot study involving medical students
A pilot study was published in 2005, with a purpose of training medical students in sonography and assessing how well they were able to use a sonogram to scan patients. Medical students are people who are training to become medical doctors and do not have a license to practice yet. However, these students receive clinical training, exposing them to different cases and medical management – that includes diagnostics.
Because of the advancement made to the technology used in ultrasounds, smaller, portable devices are becoming available to the world. In New York, tablets are being hooked to transducers, allowing EMTs to perform very basic ultrasounds out on the field on emergency patients. As these devices become smaller and easier to use, more and more people can learn how to use them, not requiring intensive training. To monitor the students’, pre-tests and post-tests were administered to the students. The tests were made up of a written exam and hands-on scanning on real patients.
Because of the advancement made to the technology used in ultrasounds, smaller, portable devices are becoming available to the world. In New York, tablets are being hooked to transducers, allowing EMTs to perform very basic ultrasounds out on the field on emergency patients. As these devices become smaller and easier to use, more and more people can learn how to use them, not requiring intensive training. To monitor the students’, pre-tests and post-tests were administered to the students. The tests were made up of a written exam and hands-on scanning on real patients.
Results of training
There were 33 students who were part of the study. In the initial multiple-choice test, the average score was 50 percent, from a range of 37 and 63 percent. The results of the post-training test was much higher, with an average of 76 percent, from a range of 33 and 100 percent.
Regarding clinical application, a score of 0 meant that the procedure was performed incorrectly; 1 meant fair scanning for less than 50 percent of the anatomy; 2 for fair scanning of more than 50 percent of the anatomy; and 3 for excellent scanning. The initial test result was 1.15. The post-training result averaged at 2.
Values like those show just how easily training was able to improve the skills and techniques used in sonography by medical students. The study and training was a success, with the values expected to improve further as the medical students consistently practice giving sonograms. This is important to consider when giving patient care, because more health care providers can now perform different diagnostic procedures. An increase in the workforce improves the quality of care the patient receives, as well as improving patient outcomes.
Regarding clinical application, a score of 0 meant that the procedure was performed incorrectly; 1 meant fair scanning for less than 50 percent of the anatomy; 2 for fair scanning of more than 50 percent of the anatomy; and 3 for excellent scanning. The initial test result was 1.15. The post-training result averaged at 2.
Values like those show just how easily training was able to improve the skills and techniques used in sonography by medical students. The study and training was a success, with the values expected to improve further as the medical students consistently practice giving sonograms. This is important to consider when giving patient care, because more health care providers can now perform different diagnostic procedures. An increase in the workforce improves the quality of care the patient receives, as well as improving patient outcomes.