Ultrasound
Grace Meehan, DO
Resident Physician
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, United States
Victoria N. Noel, MD
Resident Physician
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Irving, Texas, United States
Niran Vijayaraghavan, MD
Resident Physician
University of Texas Southwestern
Dallas, Texas, United States
Lindsey Kim, MD
PGY4
UT Southwestern Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Dallas, Texas, United States
Donald Kasitinon, MD
Assistant Professor, Associate Residency Program Director
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, United States
Grace A. Meehan, DO
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, United States
The aim of this quality improvement (QI) project is to improve physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) resident knowledge and confidence level in diagnostic and interventional ultrasound (US) through dedicated didactics and practical training at a simulation center during the 2024-2025 academic year.
Design:
PM&R residents engaged in quarterly US education sessions focused on diagnostic scanning and ultrasound-guided injections of major joints with the use of cadavers. Each session began with a multiple choice pre-test covering the joint of interest followed by residents rotating at faculty-led stations to practice identifying structures and injections of the assigned joint. Following each session, residents completed a multiple choice post-test on knowledge, confidence levels, and satisfaction with the session.
Results:
Session one featured diagnostic shoulder exam and knee injections for 22 to 23 participants. Session one results include average improvement of knowledge 13.8%, average improvement in confidence of diagnostic shoulder exam 31.67%, average improvement in confidence of knee injection 25%, and overall satisfaction levels 91.7% satisfied or very satisfied.
Session two had 22 participants for diagnostic knee exam and shoulder injections. Session two results include average improvement of knowledge 34.78%, average improvement of confidence diagnostic knee exam 25%, average improvement of confidence in shoulder injection 24%, and overall satisfaction levels 100% satisfied or very satisfied.
The third session covered hip and had 17 participants. Session three results include average improvement of knowledge 31.76%, average improvement in confidence of diagnostic hip exam 41.18%, average improvement in confidence of hip injection 44%, and overall satisfaction levels 100% satisfied or very satisfied.
Conclusions:
Residents showed increased improvement in post-test knowledge, confidence in scanning and injecting, and satisfaction of simulation sessions. PM&R residents benefit from a structured ultrasound curriculum, especially in a simulation center setting.
