Transvaginal Ultrasound Simulation: Educational Benefits on Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clerkship

Background

Transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) is the primary imaging modality in obstetrics and gynaecology (OB/GYN); however, it is highly user dependent. TVUS education for medical students is often sporadic and inconsistent. Simulation-based training (SBT) is a well-established innovation for learners to safely develop proficiency.

Approach

A TVUS curriculum was developed using motivational theory and SBT. Five 2-h educational sessions were held at the beginning of five OB/GYN clerkships, including didactics on TVUS indications/technique, TVUS simulation and a pathology competition. A digital nine-question survey assessing students' experience and comfort level with TVUS was administered after the clerkship. Students who completed their clerkship prior to the curriculum being delivered or were not present for it were administered the same survey. These students served as the control group.

Evaluation

Eighty-nine of 111 (80.1%) students who participated in the curriculum and 77/211 (36.4%) who did not participate completed the postclerkship survey. Twenty-seven of 84 (32.1%) in the simulation group who observed a TVUS performed one during their OB/GYN clerkship compared to 13/76 (17.1%) students in the control group (p = 0.04). Students present for the TVUS curriculum reported greater understanding of the TVUS they observed during their OB/GYN clerkship, OR 3.11 [1.71, 5.78] (p < 0.001); increased comfort recognising normal anatomy, OR 6.63 [3.55, 12.74] (p < 0.001); and gynecologic pathology, OR 7.56 [4.09, 14.33] (p < 0.001), on TVUS.

Implications

Implementation of TVUS simulation curricula should be considered in undergraduate medical education given the potential to improve educational experience during the OB/GYN clerkship.