title: Ultrasound-based teaching of cardiac anatomy and physiology to undergraduate medical students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ultrasonography is a non-invasive imaging modality that offers the opportunity to teach living cardiac anatomy and physiology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study were to assess the feasibility of integrating an ultrasound-based course into the conventional undergraduate medical teaching programme and to analyse student and teacher feedback.
  
  
  METHODS
  An ultrasound-based teaching course was implemented and proposed to all second-year medical students (n=348) at the end of the academic year, after all the conventional modules at our faculty. After a brief theoretical and practical demonstration, students were allowed to take the probe and use the ultrasound machine. Students and teachers were asked to complete a survey and were given the opportunity to provide open feedback.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two months were required to implement the entire module; 330 (95%) students (divided into 39 groups) and 37 teachers participated in the course. Student feedback was very positive: 98% of students agreed that the course was useful; 85% and 74% considered that their understanding of cardiac anatomy and physiology, respectively, was improved. The majority of the teachers (97%) felt that the students were interested, 81% agreed that the course was appropriate for second-year medical students and 84% were willing to participate to future sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac anatomy and physiology teaching using ultrasound is feasible for undergraduate medical students and enhances their motivation to improve their knowledge. Student and teacher feedback on the course was very positive.
authors.affiliation: Institut de cardiologie, groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France; Faculté de médecine Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, University Paris-6, Paris, France. Electronic address: nadjib.hammoudi@psl.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: Nadjib
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hammoudi
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arangalage
authors.forename: Lila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boubrit
authors.forename: Marie Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isnard
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Collet
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duguet
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D032882:Comprehension; D003479:Curriculum; D004452:Echocardiography; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005246:Feedback; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010465:Perception; D010827:Physiology / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Anatomie; Anatomy; Education; Physiologie; Physiology; Pédagogie; Ultrasons; Ultrasound; Undergraduate; Étudiants