Self-Directed Ultrasound Curriculum for Internal Medicine Clerkship

A self-directed ultrasound curriculum was integrated into the internal medicine clerkship to enhance clinical decision-making and preserve ultrasound skills acquired in preclinical years. Third-year medical students at the University of Utah utilized Butterfly iQ+ portable ultrasound probes, completing online modules on image acquisition, interpretation, and clinical applications. Students demonstrated proficiency in acquiring ultrasound images, passed a patient write-up focused on integrating ultrasound into patient care, and achieved an average score of 78% on a multiple-choice quiz. Survey results showed that the curriculum improved clinical reasoning (72%), understanding of pathophysiology (69%), and patient care skills (55%). Faculty time was optimized, requiring only 45 hours to create the curriculum and 38.5 hours annually for grading. Students praised the curriculum’s impact on clinical decision-making and independent practice but noted barriers such as equipment access and limited feedback. This innovative, resource-efficient model could serve as a template for medical schools with limited faculty support to incorporate ultrasound into clinical training.