JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Ultrasound is a key tool in modern medicine. It provides real-time images, is easy to move, and is safe because it does not use harmful radiation. Its use is growing in diagnosis and procedures, especially in regional anesthesia (RA). This requires special training to use it correctly. Medical students need to learn how to combine their knowledge of the body with ultrasound techniques. Simulation-based training is a useful way to teach these skills. It allows students to practice safely. This study looks at how well simulation-based training works compared to traditional methods for teaching ultrasound-assisted RA to medical students. The study checks how well students can find nerves and perform procedures accurately. We think that simulation-based training works as well as traditional teaching. This supports using it in medical education as another way to teach ultrasound-guided procedures.

Objective:

The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness, localization time, and success rate of traditional versus simulation-based teaching methods for regional anaesthesia in undergraduate medical students.

Methods:

A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the University of Salamanca. Participants were randomly assigned to either a simulation-based or traditional educational group, with both groups assessed after training. The study aimed to evaluate students' abilities to identify nerve plexuses using ultrasound imaging. Data were analyzed using an intention-to-treat approach was applied. The educational materials included both audiovisual content for traditional education and a hands-on simulation system for the experimental group.

Results:

A cohort of 34 medical students participated in this study, stratified into two groups: one receiving simulation-based education and the other traditional education. The results demonstrated no statistically significant differences in nerve localization success or time between the two groups for most approaches, including interscalene, supraclavicular, and sciatic. However, the traditional education group exhibited significantly superior results in the division approach. The academic year covariate did not exert a significant influence on the outcomes.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that while both educational methods are effective, certain approaches may benefit more from traditional instruction. Further studies could explore the potential factors influencing these differences. Clinical Trial: N/A