Applying a Modern Pedagogy to Emergency Residency Ultrasound Education

Background Modern technology has revolutionized pedagogy in medicine. With the availability of high-quality resources in the palm of our hands, the flipped classroom model has gained widespread support. Additionally, devices such as clickers allow for the ability to interact much more directly with lecture participants. Objective We aimed to investigate the impact of a modern refresh to our emergency point of care ultrasound (POCUS) curriculum on resident exam performance and satisfaction. Methods In 2021, we conducted a single-site pre-post interventional study with Emergency residents as eligible participants. The interventions included two modifications to the POCUS curriculum. First, residents prepared and delivered mini-lectures in lieu of formal didactic sessions. Second, weekly image review was reimplemented with more active participation. Our primary outcome was end-of-rotation exam performance and our secondary outcome was learner satisfaction. Results During the study period, 19 residents participated in the curriculum. Exam scores were similar, 90.84% +/2.27% and 89.34% +/- 3.43% (p = 0.105) for pre and post-intervention scores respectively. Satisfaction surveys were completed by 12 of the 19 participants. On a scale of 1-5, average satisfaction was fair (3.9 to 4.1) regarding the mini-lecture intervention and high (4.3 to 4.6) for the active weekly image review modification. Conclusions The POCUS curriculum refresh was well-received by emergency medicine residents. However, there was no clear competency benefit when compared to the traditional approach. The modified active weekly review was particularly well-received amongst our residents and maybe a strong model for emergency POCUS programs across the country.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a modern refresh to the emergency point of care ultrasound (POCUS) curriculum on resident exam performance and satisfaction. The results showed that the modified curriculum was well-received by emergency medicine residents, but there was no clear competency benefit compared to the traditional approach. The modified active weekly review was particularly well-received amongst the residents and may serve as a strong model for emergency POCUS programs across the country.