title: Virtual rheumatology: using simulators and a formal workshop to teach medical students, internal medicine residents, and rheumatology subspecialty residents arthrocentesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arthrocentesis is an important skill for medical practitioners at all levels of training. Previous studies have indicated a low comfort level and performance of arthrocentesis among primary care physicians that could be improved with hands-on training.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to improve comfort with knee and shoulder arthrocentesis at all levels of medical training, including medical students, internal medicine residents, and rheumatology subspecialty residents, and in arthrocentesis of the elbow, wrist, and ankle for advanced subspecialty residents in rheumatology through the use of a formal workshop using simulators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourth-year medical students and internal medicine residents were recruited from the University of South Florida. The rheumatology advanced subspecialty residents were participants from University of South Florida and from the American College of Rheumatology national meetings in 2008 and 2009. A 1-hour PowerPoint lecture followed by a hands-on practice session using Sawbones models (shoulder and knee for all groups, and elbow, wrist, and ankle additionally for the advanced subspecialty residents). A preworkshop self-assessment survey allowed the participant to rate his/her comfort level with arthrocentesis on a scale of 1 to 5. A survey with identical questions was completed immediately after the workshop. A follow-up survey was distributed by e-mail 3 to 6 months after the workshop.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred forty-one medical students, 75 internal medicine residents, and 39 rheumatology subspecialty residents participated from January 2008 until January 2010. Mean comfort level in knee and shoulder arthrocentesis improved from preworkshop comfort level for all joints and among all participants. In addition, rheumatology subspecialty resident mean comfort level improved for ankle from 2.37 to 3.65, elbow from 2.56 to 3.80, and wrist from 2.31 to 3.77 (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study involved a very large number of participants encompassing different levels of training and is the largest number of advanced subspecialty rheumatology residents studied with regard to joint injection training. We have confirmed that a formal joint injection workshop using simulators is an effective method of improving comfort level in arthrocentesis among participants from all levels of medical training. Future studies should evaluate the effect of such training on actual clinical use and competence.
authors: James A. Haley Veterans Administration, FL, USA. asterret@health.usf.edu
authors: Ashley Gray
authors: AG
authors: Sterrett
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Bateman
authors: Jason
authors: J
authors: Guthrie
authors: Aasim
authors: A
authors: Rehman
authors: Vanessa
authors: V
authors: Osting
authors: John D
authors: JD
authors: Carter
authors: Louis
authors: L
authors: Ricca
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Valeriano-Marcet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods*; D003625:Data Collection; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000639:trends*; D004551:Elbow Joint; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007596:Joints; D007719:Knee Joint; D008875:Middle Aged; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000193:education*; D012785:Shoulder Joint; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014955:Wrist Joint