Echocardiography is a well-established technique to assess heart anatomy, hemodynamics, and cardiac function. It is a non-invasive and relatively inexpensive diagnostic tool that provides information with significant impact on diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. Recently small hand held ultrasound scanners have been introduced allowing an echocardiographic device to be carried with the physician at the bedside, which may enable non-cardiologists to elevate and augment the physical exam. However, much of early skill development in the clinical exam is provided through undergraduate medical education to medical students early in their career. By providing training that is incorporated into the cardiac physical exam training of medical students, the use of handheld cardiac ultrasound may further enhance the physical examination skills, clinical reasoning, and therapeutic decision making of medical students. This study aims to determine whether the novice learner (medical student) can incorporate the use of the new small hand held ultrasound machine into the physical examination of cardiac patients.
Hand Held ultrasound was featured on CTV: Pocket-sized ultrasound machines make imaging easy
A cautionary tale: a comparison of condensed teaching strategies to develop hand-held cardiac ultrasound skills in internal medicine residents
Funding:
GE Equipment Grant