This study of Ultrasound Probe aimed to observe changes in ultrasound probe motion economy among internal medicine trainees during a 5-day cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training course. The researchers used an innovative probe tracking device, Probe Watch™, to record nine features of ultrasound probe movement, including translational movements, gyroscopic movements, smoothness, total path length, and scanning time. gyroscopic motion, smoothness, or total path length, when compared to the experts. Moreover, this suggests that the trainees’ motor skills had improved significantly throughout the course. Therefore, the training effectively enhanced their ability to perform ultrasound image acquisition with comparable efficiency to the experts.
Fifteen internal medicine
Fifteen internal medicine trainees participated in the study, with three echocardiography technicians and the course director acting as experts. Throughout the study, 294 ultrasound clips were acquired from 16 unique patients, providing a rich dataset. As training progressed, the difference in probe motion between trainees and experts steadily decreased (p<0.05), showing continuous improvement in motor skills. By the final day of the training course, trainees demonstrated no significant differences in ultrasound probe movement metrics, including translational movement, gyroscopic motion, smoothness, or total path length, when compared to the experts. The trainees effectively matched the experts in their ability to perform these key movements with similar precision and efficiency. This suggests that the trainees’ technique closely approached the expert level in these key areas of motion.
Study Demonstrated
This study demonstrated that internal medicine trainees improved their probe motion economy during the 5-day cardiac POCUS course. Using the Probe Watch™ device to track and quantify probe movements, the researchers could objectively assess and monitor each trainee’s progress. By highlighting motor skill improvements, this method may offer a useful tool for individualized POCUS training and proficiency assessment. The study suggests that incorporating motion economy tracking in medical education can effectively monitor skill development.
