Equivalence Study Comparing a Cost-Effective PC-Based Ultrasound Training Tool to Traditional Simulators in Third-Year Medical Students

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Ultrasound; Medical Training; Simulation Based Learning; Medical Student

• Registration Number: NCT06775899
• Lead Sponsor: University of Turin, Italy

Brief Summary

Brief Summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a cost-effective, PC-based ultrasound training tool is as effective as a traditional, medium-cost ultrasound simulator for teaching third-year medical students thoracic and abdominal ultrasound skills. This study focuses on improving access to high-quality ultrasound training in educational settings with limited resources. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does the PC-based tool help participants improve their ability to optimize ultrasound images in a way comparable to the traditional simulator?

2. Can participants using the PC-based tool identify and interpret pathological conditions with the same accuracy as those using the traditional simulator?

Participants are third-year medical students enrolled in a structured internship. They will:

1. Watch educational videos covering key concepts in thoracic and abdominal ultrasound imaging.

2. Rotate through training stations where they will practice using either the PC-based tool or the traditional simulator.

3. Perform hands-on exercises with healthy volunteers to practice image acquisition and recognition of anatomical structures.

4. Complete pre- and post-training assessments to measure their progress in skills such as image optimization and identifying pathological conditions.

This study aims to explore whether a low-cost digital solution can provide equal educational value, offering a practical alternative to traditional simulators in resource-limited settings.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-03-04
• Primary Completion: 2024-04-25
• Study Completion: 2024-04-26
• Status Verified: 2025-01
• Study First Submitted: 2025-01-09
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-01-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-01-14
• Study First Posted: 2025-01-15
• Last Update Posted: 2025-01-16

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 408

Inclusion Criteria

• Third-year medical students enrolled in the "Approach to Ultrasound" internship.
• Participants who have completed the preliminary blended learning videos on thoracic and abdominal ultrasound techniques.
• Participants with or without prior minimal experience in using an ultrasound probe, provided they have not undergone formal specialized ultrasound training.

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability to attend all training sessions and assessments as per the study schedule.
• Physical or medical conditions that limit the ability to perform hands-on ultrasound practice (e.g., musculoskeletal injuries).
• Refusal to provide informed consent.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Improvement in Image Optimization Skills	Measured immediately before and after the training session.	Change in the Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skills (OSAUS) scores for image optimization pre- and post-training.
Pathology Recognition Accuracy	Measured immediately before and after the training session.	Change in the ability to identify and interpret pathological ultrasound images, scored on a scale of 0-3 (0 = no recognition, 3 = full recognition).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Participant Satisfaction with Training	Measured immediately after the training session.	Participant satisfaction assessed through a Likert-scale questionnaire (1-5, where 5 = very satisfied).
Time Required for Image Acquisition	Measured immediately before and after the training session.	Change in the time taken to acquire specific ultrasound views in healthy volunteers and pathology recognition (measured in seconds).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

SimTo Advanced Medical Simulation Centre; 🇮🇹 Turin, Italy, Piedmont, Italy