title: Using ultrasound to teach medical students cardiac physiology.
abstract: Ultrasound is being incorporated more into undergraduate medical education. Studies have shown that medical students have positive perceptions about the value of ultrasound in teaching courses like anatomy and physiology. The purpose of the present study was to provide objective evidence of whether ultrasound helps students learn cardiac physiology. In this study, 20 medical students took a pretest to assess their background knowledge of cardiac physiology. Next, they acquired ultrasound video loops of the heart. Faculty members taught them nonelectrical aspects of cardiac physiology using those loops. Finally, students took a posttest to evaluate for improvements in their knowledge. Students also completed an anonymous questionnaire about their experience. The mean pretest score was 4.8 of 9 (53.3%). The mean posttest score was 7.35 of 9 (81.7%). The mean difference was significant at P < 0.0001. Student feedback was very positive about the ultrasound laboratory. Ninety-five percent of the students agreed or strongly agreed that the ultrasound laboratory was a valuable teaching tool and that it improved their understanding of cardiac physiology. All students agreed or strongly agreed the laboratory was helpful from a visual learning standpoint. A hands-on ultrasound laboratory can indeed help medical students learn the nonelectrical components of cardiac physiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina; Ultrasound Institute, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina; and Floyd.bell@uscmed.sc.edu.
authors.forename: Floyd E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina;
authors.forename: L Britt
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Ultrasound Institute, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina; and Department of Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hoppmann
mesh_terms: D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D032882:Comprehension; D003479:Curriculum; D004452:Echocardiography; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D010827:Physiology / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cardiac; medical students; physiology; ultrasound; undergraduate medical education