Ultrasound curriculum taught by first-year medical students: A four-year experience in Tanzania

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic imaging is an integral aspect of care that is often insufficient, if not altogether absent, in rural and remote regions of low to middle income countries (LMICs) such as Tanzania. The introduction of ultrasound can significantly impact treatment in these countries due to its portability, low cost, safety, and usefulness in various medical assessments. This study reviews the implementation of a four-week ultrasound course administered annually from 2013-2016 in a healthcare professional school in Mwanza, Tanzania by first-year allopathic US medical students.METHODS: Participants (n=582, over 4 years) were recruited from the Tandabui Institute of Health Sciences and Technology to take the ultrasound course. Subjects were predominantly clinical officer students, but other participants included other healthcare professional students, practicing healthcare professionals, and school employees. Data collected includes pre-course examination scores, post-course examination scores, course quiz scores, demographic surveys, and post-course feedback surveys. Data was analyzed using two-tailed t-tests and the single factor analysis of variance (ANOVA).RESULTS: For all participants who completed both the pre- and post-course examinations (n=229, 39.1% of the total recruited), there was a significant mean improvement in their ultrasound knowledge of 42.5%, P<0.01.CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that trained first-year medical students can effectively teach a point of care ultrasound course to healthcare professional students within four weeks in Tanzania. Future investigation into the level of long-term knowledge retention, impact of ultrasound training on knowledge of human anatomy and diagnostic capabilities, and how expansion of an ultrasound curriculum has impacted access to care in rural Tanzania is warranted.     

血液透析患者授权教育效果的Meta分析

目的 系统评价血液透析患者授权教育的干预效果。 方法 检索The Cochrane Library、PubMed、Ovid、Web of Science、EBSCO、中国生物医学文献数据库、中国知网、万方、维普和中国优秀硕博论文数据库等国内外数据库中关于授权教育对血液透析患者干预效果的随机对照研究。通过文献筛选、资料提取及质量评价后,采用Stata 12.0软件进行Meta分析。 结果 最终纳入13项随机对照研究,总计1 126例患者。Meta分析结果显示:授权教育组的白蛋白水平[SMD=0.59,95%CI(0.37,0.81),P<0.001]、饮食行为依从性[SMD=1.59,95%CI(1.35,1.84),P<0.001]、液体摄入依从性[OR=2.90,95%CI(1.53,5.51),P<0.001]和自我效能水平[SMD=1.00,95%CI(0.72,1.28),P<0.001]均高于常规组,差异均具有统计学意义;2组血红蛋白水平[SMD=0.21,95%CI(-0.02,0.45),P>0.05]、自我管理水平[SMD=0.68,95%CI(-0.19,1.54),P>0.05]、抑郁水平[SMD= -0.12,95%CI( -0.95,0.71),P>0.05]比较,差异均无统计学意义。 结论 授权教育可以有效改善血液透析患者的白蛋白水平、饮食行为依从性、液体摄入依从性及自我效能水平,但在改善血红蛋白水平、自我管理及抑郁情绪方面并无显著效果。     

Disaster 101: A Novel Approach to Disaster Medicine Training for Health Professionals

Background: Despite efforts to improve preparedness training for health professionals, disaster medicine remains a peripheral component of traditional medical education in the United States (US) and is a rarely studied topic in the medical literature. Objectives: Using a pre-/post-test design, we measured the extent to which 4^th-year medical students perceive, rapidly learn, and apply basic concepts of disaster medicine via a novel curriculum. Methods: Via a modified Delphi technique, an expert curriculum panel developed a 90-min didactic training scenario and two 40-min training exercises for medical students: a hazardous material scene and a surprise mass casualty incident (MCI) scenario with 100 life-sized mannequins. Medical students were quizzed before and after the didactic training scenario about their perceptions and their disaster medicine knowledge. Results: Students rated their overall knowledge as 3.76/10 pretest compared to 7.64/10 after the didactic program. Students' post-test scores improved by 54% and students participating in the MCI drill correctly tagged 94% of the victims in approximately 10 min. The average overall rating for the experience was 4.85/5. Conclusions: The results of this educational demonstration project reveal that students will value and can rapidly learn some core elements of disaster medicine via a novel addition to a medical school's curriculum. We believe the principle of a highly effective and well-received medical student course that can be easily added to a university curriculum has been demonstrated. Further research is needed to validate core competencies and performance-based education goals for US health professional trainees.     

Introduction of Ultrasound into Gross Anatomy Curriculum: Perceptions of Medical Students

Background

The exposure to ultrasound technology during medical school education is highly variable across institutions.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to assess medical students’ perceptions of ultrasound use to teach Gross Anatomy along with traditional teaching methods, and determine their ability to identify sonographic anatomy after focused didactic sessions.

Methods

Prospective observational study. Phase I of the study included three focused ultrasound didactic sessions integrated into Gross Anatomy curriculum. During Phase II, first-year medical students completed a questionnaire.

Results

One hundred nine subjects participated in this study; 96% (95% confidence interval [CI] 92–99%) agreed that ultrasound-based teaching increased students’ knowledge of anatomy acquired through traditional teaching methods. Ninety-two percent (95% CI 87–97%) indicated that ultrasound-based teaching increases confidence to perform invasive procedures in the future. Ninety-one percent (95% CI 85–96%) believed that it is feasible to integrate ultrasound into the current Anatomy curriculum. Ninety-eight percent (95% CI 95–100%) of medical students accurately identified vascular structures on ultrasound images of normal anatomy of the neck. On a scale of 1 to 10, the average confidence level reported in interpreting the images was 7.4 (95% CI 7.1–7.7). Overall, 94% (95% CI 91–99%) accurately answered questions about ultrasound fundamentals and sonographic anatomy.

Conclusions

The majority of medical students believed that it is feasible and beneficial to use ultrasound in conjunction with traditional teaching methods to teach Gross Anatomy. Medical students were very accurate in identifying sonographic vascular anatomy of the neck after brief didactic sessions.     

Nursing students’ mathematic calculation skills

This mixed method study used a pre-test/post-test design to evaluate the efficacy of a teaching strategy in improving beginning nursing student learning outcomes. During a 4-week student teaching period, a convenience sample of 54 sophomore level nursing students were required to complete calculation assignments, taught one calculation method, and mandated to attend medication calculation classes. These students completed pre- and post-math tests and a major medication mathematic exam. Scores from the intervention student group were compared to those achieved by the previous sophomore class. Results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement from pre- to post-test and the students who received the intervention had statistically significantly higher scores on the major medication calculation exam than did the students in the control group. The evaluation completed by the intervention group showed that the students were satisfied with the method and outcome.     

Nursing students’ mathematic calculation skills

This mixed method study used a pre-test/post-test design to evaluate the efficacy of a teaching strategy in improving beginning nursing student learning outcomes. During a 4-week student teaching period, a convenience sample of 54 sophomore level nursing students were required to complete calculation assignments, taught one calculation method, and mandated to attend medication calculation classes. These students completed pre- and post-math tests and a major medication mathematic exam. Scores from the intervention student group were compared to those achieved by the previous sophomore class. Results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement from pre- to post-test and the students who received the intervention had statistically significantly higher scores on the major medication calculation exam than did the students in the control group. The evaluation completed by the intervention group showed that the students were satisfied with the method and outcome.     

Nursing students' mathematic calculation skills

This mixed method study used a pre-test/post-test design to evaluate the efficacy of a teaching strategy in improving beginning nursing student learning outcomes. During a 4-week student teaching period, a convenience sample of 54 sophomore level nursing students were required to complete calculation assignments, taught one calculation method, and mandated to attend medication calculation classes. These students completed pre- and post-math tests and a major medication mathematic exam. Scores from the intervention student group were compared to those achieved by the previous sophomore class. Results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement from pre- to post-test and the students who received the intervention had statistically significantly higher scores on the major medication calculation exam than did the students in the control group. The evaluation completed by the intervention group showed that the students were satisfied with the method and outcome.     

PCSK9抑制剂对动脉粥样硬化性心血管疾病有效性及安全性的meta分析

目的 系统评价PCSK9抑制剂对动脉粥样硬化性心血管疾病(atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, ASCVD)患者的有效性及安全性。方法 计算机检索PubMed、Embase、Cochrane图书馆和临床试验注册平台Clinical Trails.gov,检索年限从建库至2022年5月。筛选并纳入PCSK9抑制剂治疗ASCVD患者的随机对照试验(randomized controlled trials, RCTs),应用Review Manager 5.4软件对符合标准的RCTs进行meta分析。结果 共纳入10项随机对照试验,共计54 472例患者。有效性分析结果显示：与对照组相比,PCSK9抑制剂可降低ASCVD患者低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(low density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C)水平49.26%(95%CI:-54.00～-44.52,P<0.01),并显著降低了其他5项血脂水平;PCSK9抑制剂组动脉粥样硬化斑块体积百分比(percent atheroma volume, PAV)降低1.1%...     

颅内未破裂动脉瘤患者介入栓塞术后不同时机拔除导尿管的研究

目的 探讨加速康复外科理念下,不同时机拔除导尿管对颅内未破裂动脉瘤介入栓塞术后患者的影响。方法 采取便利抽样法,选取2021年10月—2022年1月四川省某三级甲等医院介入手术室收治的140例接受介入栓塞术治疗的颅内未破裂动脉瘤患者作为研究对象,采用随机数字表法将其分为试验组和对照组,每组70例。试验组在Aldrete评分≥12分后,术后2 h内拔除导尿管,对照组在术后24 h内拔除导尿管。结果 共135例完成研究,试验组68例,对照组67例,两组一般资料比较,除导尿管留置时间外,其余一般资料比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。试验组出麻醉恢复室前苏醒期躁动评分及躁动率均低于对照组,差异均具有统计学意义(P=0.013,0.008)。试验组首次排尿时间晚于对照组,首次排尿量低于对照组,差异均具有统计学意义(均P<0.001);两组首次排尿情况比较,差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。试验组在拔管前、拔管时、拔管后2 h的疼痛视觉模拟评分均低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 术后2 h内拔除导尿管,有助于降低颅内未破裂动脉瘤患者介入栓塞术后苏...     

重复经颅磁刺激联合认知训练对缺血性脑卒中患者淡漠的效果研究

目的 探讨重复经颅磁刺激（repeat transcranial magnetic stimulation,rTMS）联合认知训练对缺血性脑卒中患者淡漠症状的影响。方法 采用便利抽样法,选取2021年1月—12月在海口市某三级甲等医院神经内科、康复科住院的96例缺血性脑卒中伴淡漠的患者为研究对象。采用2×2析因试验设计,计算机随机分组,将研究对象分为r组、s组、联合组、对照组,每组24例。在对照组干预措施的基础上,r组行rTMS治疗,s组行卡片式Stroop范式认知训练,联合组行rTMS联合卡片式Stroop范式认知训练,对照组给予缺血性脑卒中常规治疗、康复及护理干预措施,干预周期均为15 d,使用淡漠评定量表-知情者版（Apathy Evaluation Scale-Informant,AES-I）评估干预后患者淡漠水平改善情况。结果 87例完成干预,4组基线均衡,差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。rTMS对降低AES-I总分及各维度得分有主效应（P<0.001）,卡片式Stroop范式认知训练对降低AES-I总分及兴趣、认知、行为维度得分有主效应（P<0.05）,...     

Ventilator Withdrawal in Anticipation of Death: The Simulation Lab as an Educational Tool in Palliative Medicine

Simulation is a growing model of education in many medical disciplines. Withdrawal of mechanical ventilation is an important skill set for palliative medicine practitioners who must be facile with a variety of end-of-life scenarios and is well suited to the simulation laboratory. We describe a novel approach using high-fidelity simulation to design a curriculum to teach Hospice & Palliative Medicine fellows the practical aspects of managing a compassionate terminal extubation. This simulation session aims to equip palliative fellows with a knowledge base of respiratory physiology and mechanical ventilation as well as the practical experience of performing a terminal extubation. We designed a three-hour simulation session which includes a one-hour didactic followed by two hours of simulation, with four cases that focus on different teaching points regarding symptom management and practical aspects of removing the endotracheal tube. The session was designed as an annual session for Hospice & Palliative Medicine fellows in our region during a collaborative educational conference. Based on feedback, the session is scheduled for the beginning of the academic year and each fellow is given the opportunity to physically remove the endotracheal tube. Simulation can be effectively used to teach practical and complex bedside skills such as withdrawal of mechanical ventilation to palliative medicine trainees. This method of teaching could be expanded to teach other advanced hospice and palliative care skills.     

Are Live Instructors Replaceable? Computer vs. Classroom Lectures for EFAST Training

Background: The EFAST (extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma) is part of the recommended curriculum for Emergency Medicine and Surgery residents. Computer-based lectures may represent a time-efficient alternative to traditional lectures. Objectives: Our hypothesis was that computer lectures in basic ultrasound and the EFAST are not inferior to classroom lectures in test score improvement for residents with or without prior training. Methods: First-year Emergency Medicine and Surgery residents were enrolled and completed a pre-test. Subjects were then randomized into a classroom group, which attended traditional lectures, and a computer group, which listened to narrated lectures on computers. After the didactic training, all subjects completed a post-test. Results: Forty-four subjects completed the study: 64% were General Surgery residents, 66% were male. Overall, mean test score improvements were higher in the classroom than in the computer group (28.0% vs. 18.4%). In 25 residents without prior training, mean improvements in the computer and classroom groups were 25% and 27%, respectively. The 95% confidence limit around the difference was 9%, falling within the a priori non-inferiority range of 10%, and consistent with non-inferiority of computer-based lectures. In 19 residents with prior training, mean test score improvements for the computer and classroom groups were 13% and 29%, respectively. The 95% confidence limit of 24% exceeded the non-inferiority range, consistent with inferiority of computer-based lectures. Conclusions: Computer-based lectures are not inferior to classroom lectures and may represent a worthwhile substitution in subjects without prior ultrasound education. Our data suggest that didactic ultrasound training through classroom lectures is more effective than computer-based lectures in individuals with prior training.     

Predictors of Success in Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Education

OBJECTIVES: To compare emergency medicine resident performance on an ultrasound-oriented, American Board of Emergency Medicine-styled written examination with the following variables in resident education: number of ultrasound scans performed, presence of a formal, structured ultrasound rotation, presence of a mandatory ultrasound rotation, number of hours of didactic ultrasound education, and percentage of ultrasound education taught by emergency physicians. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study involving 14 residency programs. A 60-question multiple-choice test was completed by individual residents and returned for scoring. RESULTS: 262 residents completed the study. Average score was 39.1/60 +/- 6.5 (65%). Scores improved as residency year increased (year 1: 36.6, year 2: 39.3, year 3: 42.6) (p < 0.005). Scores improved as number of scans performed increased from 34.3 (57%) for those residents who had performed 0-10 scans to 45.4 (76%) for those with >150 scans (p < 0.005). The presence of an ultrasound rotation at an emergency medicine residency program also produced a statistically significant increase in test score (OR 1.82; 95% CI = 1.29 to 2.55). Residents at programs spending the least time (6 to 15 hours) on didactic education throughout the residency predicted examination failure (OR 0.60; 95% CI = 0.39 to 0.93). Increasing the amount of resident ultrasound teaching by emergency physicians improved the score, but this did not reach significance (p = 0.357). CONCLUSIONS: Improved resident performance on an ultrasound written examination was associated with increasing resident year, number of scans performed, and the presence of an ultrasound rotation at the residency program. Increasing the number of didactic hours spent on ultrasound each year beyond 15 hours showed no improvement in resident performance.     

脂质蓄积指数、内脏脂肪指数对2型糖尿病患者一级亲属糖代谢的影响

目的 探讨2型糖尿病(type 2 diabetes mellitus, T2DM)患者一级亲属中T2DM及葡萄糖调节受损(impaired glucose regulation, IGR)患者脂质蓄积指数(lipid accumulation product, LAP)、内脏脂肪指数(visceral fat index, VAI)的特征。方法 选取T2DM确诊患者(n=212)一级亲属共298例,依据葡萄糖代谢情况,将研究对象分为葡萄糖代谢正常(normal glucose tolerance, NGT)组(n=115)、IGR组(n=93)、T2DM组(n=90),并收集其临床资料。结果 3组性别差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),3组年龄、身高、体重、体质量指数、腰围差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05),NGT组年龄最小,T2DM组体重、腰围最大(均P<0.05)。NGT组、IGR组、T2DM组中心性肥胖发生率分别为52.17%、67.74%和78.88%,其中T2DM组肥胖率最高,T2DM组、IGR组的中心性肥胖率较NGT组高(均P<0.05)。3组LAP...