title: Maternal-fetal medicine fellowship 3- and 4-dimensional ultrasound experience: room for improvement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) fellowship 3- and 4-dimensional (3D/4D) ultrasound experience and training.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 53-item prenatal diagnosis survey was emailed to 458 associate members of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Associate members include both MFM fellows and recent graduates who are not yet board certified in MFM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 148 associate members completed the survey (32% response rate); 92% were at least in their second year of a fellowship, and 48.1% had completed a fellowship. About half (50.8%) were capable of performing 3D/4D ultrasound examinations ("performers"), whereas 49.2% were not ("nonperformers"). Among performers, about 80% were capable of only basic image acquisition. Overall, 39.5% of respondents received no official 3D/4D ultrasound training, and 55.5% stated that fewer than 1 in 5 of their MFM faculty routinely performed 3D/4D ultrasound examinations. Compared with performers, nonperformers had less formal 3D/4D ultrasound training (53% versus 26%; P = .018) and fewer MFM faculty who performed 3D/4D ultrasound examinations (43% versus 68%; P = .005), and fewer nonperformers were taught by ultrasound mentors (25% versus 47.8%; P = .011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most fellows are not trained in 3D/4D ultrasound. Greater emphasis on ultrasound mentorship and formalized ultrasound training by MFM faculty during fellowships is needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saint Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. aness@saintpetersuh.com
authors.forename: Amen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ness
authors.forename: Yair J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Blumenfeld
authors.forename: Lawrence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Platt
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055425:Respiratory-Gated Imaging Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States
keywords: 3- and 4-dimensional ultrasound; fellowship; training