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NCT Number: NCT07127588

Ultrasound Simulation or Traditional Ultrasound Training for General Practitioners?

The goal of this study is to compare two different educational methods for training general practitioners (GPs) in point-of-care ultrasound. The main question it aims to answer is:

- Does the use of ultrasound phantoms and simulators result in superior post-course ultrasound skills compared to traditional training methods involving healthy volunteers? Researchers will compare a group trained with traditional methods (scanning healthy volunteers) to a group trained using ultrasound phantoms and simulators to see if the different training methods result in different levels of ultrasound proficiency.

Participants will:

* Be 24 general practitioners randomized into two groups of 12. * Receive training in five clinical ultrasound examinations: 1) Aortic abdominal aneurism, 2) gallstones, 3) pleural effusion, 4) hydronephrosis, and 5) free fluid in the abdomen (FAST scan). * Begin with e-learning, followed by two in-person teaching seminars. * Train at their clinics between course days: first on healthy volunteers, then on indicated patients. * Upload scans to an online learning platform and receive feedback from instructors. * Be assessed after 90 days using the validated Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skills (OSAUS) tool, with blinded evaluators.

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Key information

Conditions

Ultrasound Training

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

NordSim

Aalborg, Denmark

Location status: Recruiting

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • The participant must be a postgraduate medical doctor specialized in general medicine/family medicine (general practitioner).
  • The participant must have access to an ultrasound device during the study period.

Exclusion criteria

  • General practitioners who have already participated in a basic point-of-care ultrasound education for general practitioners.
  • General practitioners with potential conflicts of interest.
  • Individuals with no signed informed consent to participate.

Treatment and study plan

Simulation based clinical ultrasound education

Other

At the two hands-on teaching seminars, GPs in the intervention arm will receive training in five different clinical ultrasound examinations using an ultrasound phantom and an ultrasound simulator (Simbionix U/S Mentor). At the start of the first course day (8 hours), three basic modules will be conducted on the simulator, aimed at training hand-eye coordination and developing fundamental skills in probe movement, enhancing three-dimensional perception, and learning to use the various settings on the ultrasound simulator to achieve optimal imaging. At the first course day, the five clinical ultrasound examinations will be trained through a total of 13 simulation cases. On the second course day (4 hours), the participants will repeat the 13 simulation cases.

Traditional ultrasound education

Other

At the two hands-on teaching seminars, GPs in the control arm will receive training in five different clinical ultrasound examinations as according to an established and validated training program. At the start of the first course day (8 hours), the five clinical ultrasound examinations will be trained using healthy volunteers and still pictures for visualizing pathology. On the second course day (4 hours), the participants will train by repeating the five clinical ultrasound examinations on healthy volunteers.

Primary outcomes

  1. Mean OSAUS sum score across all five POCUS applications (min-max: 7-35)

    Time frame: At the third teaching seminar (day 90)

    Scanning competence is assessed similarly in the two groups by ultrasound expert reviewers blinded to participant allocation. The reviewers will use the OSAUS score, which consists of 7 items. Each item is rated using a Likert Scale with five points (1-5) giving a minimum score of 7 and maximum of 35 for each POCUS application.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Julie J Strøm

CONTACT

[email protected]

004520869389

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Aalborg University

Other

Collaborators

  • Nordsim

Registry information

Official study title

Continuing Education of General Practitioners in Clinical Ultrasound - Ultrasound Simulation or Traditional Ultrasound Training?

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 17, 2025
Registry last updated
Aug 17, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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