title: Does educational intervention affect resident competence in sonographic cervical length measurement?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if a structured teaching module improves resident competency in transvaginal sonographic cervical length measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cohort study involving obstetrics and gynecology residents at a single institution. Residents collected 10 transvaginal cervical images from patients with threatened preterm labor presenting to Labor and Delivery. After initial image acquisition, residents participated in a lecture-based teaching module involving a pre- and post-intervention assessment. Following the didactic session, they collected 10 additional images. All the images were scored independently by two Maternal-Fetal Medicine attending physicians based on the quality and accuracy of the measured cervical length. Pre-and post- intervention test results were compared, as well as pre- and post- intervention image scores. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used as appropriate with p < 0.05 considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-three percent of the residents (14/15) improved their scores from pre-test to post-test or maintained an already perfect score (p < 0.01). Improvement was most significant with the junior residents. Seventy-nine percent of the residents (11/14) improved their cervical image scores after the educational session. Mean score for total residents was 73.7 + 12.6 pre-intervention and 90.2 + 9.9 post-intervention (p < 0.01) out of a total of 120.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an improvement in the competence of resident measured cervical lengths via transvaginal ultrasound when a structured educational module is implemented for resident education.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Winthrop University Hospital , Mineola , NY , USA and.
authors.forename: Sevan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Vahanian
authors.affiliation: b Aurora Health System , Aurora , WI , USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Winthrop University Hospital , Mineola , NY , USA and.
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chavez
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Winthrop University Hospital , Mineola , NY , USA and.
authors.forename: Wendy L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Kinzler
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Winthrop University Hospital , Mineola , NY , USA and.
authors.forename: Anthony M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vintzileos
mesh_terms: D054791:Cervical Length Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Cervical length; resident education; transvaginal ultrasound