# Comparison of in-person versus virtual ultrasound instruction for pediatric residents

## TL;DR

Virtual ultrasound instruction is just as effective as in-person teaching for pediatric residents learning the eFAST exam.

## Contribution

This study demonstrates that virtual instruction using handheld devices is a viable alternative to in-person ultrasound training for pediatric residents.

## Key findings

- Residents who received virtual instruction scored similarly to those who received in-person instruction (65.8% vs. 61.8%).
- There was no significant difference in the time taken to complete the eFAST exam assessment between the two groups.

## Abstract

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) instruction is prevalent in medical schools but not in pediatric residency programs, even though the majority of pediatric residents desire POCUS instruction. Virtual ultrasound instruction with affordable handheld ultrasound devices may help remedy this deficiency by allowing qualified instructors to circumvent geographic and financial limitations to reach this population. This study sought to determine if virtual ultrasound instruction is an effective alternative to traditional in-person instruction in a cohort of pediatric residents for the extended Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (eFAST) exam.

Pediatric residents were randomized to receive either in-person or virtual instruction to learn the eFAST exam using a Sonosite Edge (Sonosite, Inc., Bothell, WA) or Butterfly iQ (Butterfly Network, Inc., Guilford, CT), respectively. After the instructional session, the participants completed a timed assessment in which all required images for the eFAST exam were obtained on the same anatomic model. The content and quality of the images were then scored by expert faculty.

There were no significant differences in assessment scores (65.8% and 61.8%, p = 0.349) and assessment duration (482.6 s and 432.6 s, p = 0.346) between pediatric residents who received in-person instruction and those who received virtual instruction.

Virtual ultrasound instruction appears to be an effective alternative to traditional in-person instruction.