ABSTRACT

Introduction: Ultrasound use as a procedural guide and diagnostic tool has led many to herald it as the “new stethoscope.” Thus, medical schools are seeking to integrate ultrasound training into their longitudinal curricula. While various methods have been trialed, incorporating ultrasound into basic science courses as a supplementary learning tool often offers students their first exposure. This study seeks to identify factors that affected student excitement and perceived value of ultrasound training as part of an anatomy course.

Materials and Methods: A brief survey was distributed to first-year medical students after completing ultrasound education in a clinical human anatomy course. This survey gauged student excitement and perceived value of the ultrasound sessions. Through free-response, students expounded on factors that affected their ratings. Qualitative student feedback was organized, coded, and associated with student excitement and perceived value ratings using thematic analysis.

Results: Responses were returned from 26.2% of the surveyed group. Ten and 6 themes were identified in response to students’ excitement and perceived value ratings of the sessions, respectively. Clinical relevance/utility was identified consistently as the most influential factor affecting student engagement. In addition, students’ personal motivation and incentive, as well as the structure and learning environment of the sessions, were found to impact student engagement.

Conclusions: We identified multiple factors that may impact student engagement with ultrasound sessions that are included as part of an anatomy course. Medical schools seeking to incorporate ultrasound sessions in a similar fashion could consider these factors when designing their own curricula.