Michael Breunig, MPAS, PA-C, is clinical skills co-director of the Mayo Physician Assistant Program and hospitalist for Mayo Clinic, Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, in Rochester, Minnesota.
Corbin Plooster, MPAS, PA-C, is NP/PA assistant supervisor, Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota.
J Physician Assist Educ. 2022 Sep 1;33(3):253-256. doi: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000444. Epub 2022 Aug 1.
The use of ultrasound as an educational technology in medical education to teach basic sciences, including anatomy and physical examination techniques, has become common. Multiple studies have demonstrated the benefits of using ultrasound to teach anatomy and physical examination skills; however, this has not been studied in physician assistant (PA) students.
This qualitative phenomenological research used 5 semi-structured interviews of first semester PA students to obtain a deeper understanding of students' perspectives. Dominant coding categories were identified through open coding, and thematic analysis was completed to identify emerging themes of participants' perspectives.
Overall, the students positively perceived this use of ultrasound. Four themes emerged regarding PA students' perspectives of ultrasound as an educational technology within their Clinical Anatomy and History and Physical Examination classes: solidifying the curriculum, desiring more, looking ahead, and burden of curriculum.
This study supports the use of ultrasound as an educational technology to solidify prior learning; however, steps to ensure student commitment to the technology should be taken. Careful consideration for curricular sequencing and allocation of time should be utilized by programs attempting to integrate ultrasound in this manner. Hands-on experiences, rather than faculty demonstrations, and clinical correlation should be utilized whenever possible.
在医学教育中，将超声用作教育技术来教授基础科学，包括解剖学和体检技术，已经变得很普遍。多项研究已经证明了使用超声来教授解剖学和体检技能的好处；但是，这在医师助理（PA）学生中尚未进行研究。
本定性现象学研究使用了 5 名第一学期 PA 学生的半结构化访谈，以更深入地了解学生的观点。通过开放式编码确定了主要编码类别，并进行了主题分析以确定参与者观点的主题。
总体而言，学生对这种超声的使用持积极态度。在临床解剖学和病史与体检课程中，超声作为一种教育技术，学生的观点出现了四个主题：巩固课程、渴望更多、展望未来和课程负担。
这项研究支持将超声用作巩固先前学习的教育技术；但是，应该采取措施确保学生对该技术的承诺。尝试以这种方式将超声纳入课程的计划应仔细考虑课程顺序和时间分配。应尽可能利用实践经验，而不是教师演示和临床相关性。
