A four year follow-up survey on the teledidactic TELUS ultrasound course: long-term benefits and implications

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional medical education, prompting innovative teaching methods for practical skills training. The teledidactic TELUS ultrasound course, launched in 2020-2021, aimed to provide remote instruction in ultrasound techniques.

Objective: This study assesses the long-term impact of the teledidactic ultrasound course conducted during the study years on current clinical practice.

Methods: In 2024, a follow-up survey was conducted with former TELUS course students now practicing as physicians across various specialities. Participants rated their confidence in ultrasound examinations and its frequency in practice.

Results: 21 out of 30 participants (70%) completed the survey. 71.4% rated the course experience as excellent (5/5 points). Most reported significant learning gains, especially in the FAST module. While all agreed the course enhanced their ultrasound skills, its impact on patient care received mixed reviews. Frequency of ultrasound use varied widely among specialities, with high use in surgery and internal medicine but less in psychiatry, neurology, and ophthalmology. Notably, 42,9% had not pursued further ultrasound training post-course.

Conclusion: The teledidactic ultrasound course effectively provided remote education, integrating skills into practice. Mixed reviews on patient care impact and speciality-specific ultrasound use suggest sustained integration depends on relevance and ongoing education. Self-assessment results support online ultrasound courses, indicating potential use in resource-limited or geographically constrained settings.

Keywords: Curriculum development; Education; Medical education; Telemedicine; Training; Ultrasound.

Fig. 1

The timeline of the consecutive TELUS studies, which focus on teaching ultrasound using a teledidactic approach, is illustrated

Fig. 2

The students who took part in a teledidactic ultrasound course as part of the TELUS I and II study were asked to take part in a voluntary survey three (first cohort) and four years after completing the course. The different questions of the survey are presented

Fig. 3

The graphic demonstrates the various specialities currently practiced by the 21 survey participants who took part in the teledidactic ultrasound course during their studies

Fig. 4

Participants should rate the self-reports from 0 (do not agree at all) to 5 (fully agree) to evaluate their long-term experience with the knowledge gained from the ultrasound course

Fig. 5

The number of students and assigned point are displayed. The assigned points vary depending on the medical speciality practiced today. The corresponding medical specialties that assigned the scores are listed below each bar of the chart. The ultrasound skills learned are applied from never (0 points) to frequently (5 points)