Swine and dynamic ultrasound models for trauma ultrasound testing of surgical residents.

BACKGROUND Trauma ultrasound workshops have been recommended for training surgical residents. We assessed the teaching effectiveness of the workshop, comparing swine and dynamic patient ultrasound models. MATERIALS AND METHODS MCQ exams on ultrasound physics and practical skills tests with and without pericardial or peritoneal fluid using four swines and eight dynamic patient ultrasound videos were used to compare pre- and postworkshop performance in 18 surgical residents (Group I) and a matched control group of 18 (Group II). Paired t tests and unpaired t tests for paired and unpaired data, respectively, were used for analysis with a P < 0.05 being considered statistically significant. RESULTS Mean scores (% correct response) +/- SD were as follows (*P < 0.05 vs Group I). [table: see text] For the swine model, the best scores were with pericardial fluid (25.0% pre vs 69.4% post in Group I) and the worst scores were with RUQ fluid (5.6% pre vs 22.2% post in Group I). Postworkshop dynamic video scores were always higher than the swine model scores in Group I (100% correct video scores for pericardial fluid). CONCLUSIONS This study confirms the trauma ultrasound workshop teaching effectiveness. For testing, the swine model (especially RUQ) was more difficult. In postcourse evaluation, the dynamic human video was considered more relevant, realistic, and less costly for repeated testing of the residents.