Ultrasound Simulation or Traditional Ultrasound Training for General Practitioners?

Summary

The goal of this study is to compare two different educational methods for training general practitioners (GPs) in point-of-care ultrasound. The main question it aims to answer is:

\- Does the use of ultrasound phantoms and simulators result in superior post-course ultrasound skills compared to traditional training methods involving healthy volunteers? Researchers will compare a group trained with traditional methods (scanning healthy volunteers) to a group trained using ultrasound phantoms and simulators to see if the different training methods result in different levels of ultrasound proficiency.

Participants will:

* Be 24 general practitioners randomized into two groups of 12.
* Receive training in five clinical ultrasound examinations: 1) Aortic abdominal aneurism, 2) gallstones, 3) pleural effusion, 4) hydronephrosis, and 5) free fluid in the abdomen (FAST scan).
* Begin with e-learning, followed by two in-person teaching seminars.
* Train at their clinics between course days: first on healthy volunteers, then on indicated patients.
* Upload scans to an online learning platform and receive feedback from instructors.
* Be assessed after 90 days using the validated Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skills (OSAUS) tool, with blinded evaluators.

Conditions

• Ultrasound Training

Interventions

OTHER

Simulation based clinical ultrasound education

At the two hands-on teaching seminars, GPs in the intervention arm will receive training in five different clinical ultrasound examinations using an ultrasound phantom and an ultrasound simulator (Simbionix U/S Mentor). At the start of the first course day (8 hours), three basic modules will be conducted on the simulator, aimed at training hand-eye coordination and developing fundamental skills in probe movement, enhancing three-dimensional perception, and learning to use the various settings on the ultrasound simulator to achieve optimal imaging. At the first course day, the five clinical ultrasound examinations will be trained through a total of 13 simulation cases. On the second course day (4 hours), the participants will repeat the 13 simulation cases.

OTHER

Traditional ultrasound education

At the two hands-on teaching seminars, GPs in the control arm will receive training in five different clinical ultrasound examinations as according to an established and validated training program. At the start of the first course day (8 hours), the five clinical ultrasound examinations will be trained using healthy volunteers and still pictures for visualizing pathology. On the second course day (4 hours), the participants will train by repeating the five clinical ultrasound examinations on healthy volunteers.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nordsim

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Aalborg University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-06-26

Primary Completion

2025-12-04

Completion

2025-12-04

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations