Breunig, Michael J

Objectives Use of point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS) in clinical medicine and inclusion in medical training is increasing. Some professional societies recommend that 25–50 POCUS examinations be completed for each application learned; however, the amount of practice required is not well studied. As such, a better understanding of the learning curves of POCUS psychomotor skills is needed. This systematic review characterizes the learning curves for POCUS psychomotor skill acquisition. Methods With the assistance of a research librarian, the available literature through August 28, 2023, was identified. The titles and abstracts, and then the full text were reviewed by two reviewers to screen for inclusion. All studies included after full‐text review then underwent data extraction and analysis. Results The search identified 893 unique studies. Forty‐five studies underwent full‐text review, with 17 meeting full inclusion criteria. Substantial heterogeneity was noted in study design, duration of education, number and type of learners, and methods for statistical analysis. Clear and validated definitions for learning endpoints, such as plateau points or competency, are lacking. Learning curves and endpoints differ for different applications of POCUS. Conclusion The results are overall supportive of the recommendations to complete 25–50 examinations per application of POCUS learned. However, specific applications require more practice than others. Certain applications, such as cardiac and the Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) exams, are closer to 50; while others, such as soft tissue, airway, and eye require no more than 25.

<b>Background:</b> Inclusion of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) within medical education is increasing. A lack of clinical preceptors ready to teach POCUS to physician assistant (PA) students has been discovered. Understanding the barriers to student use of POCUS in clinical education will inform curricular planning.<br /> <b>Methods:</b> Qualitative survey research was completed on 212 previously identified PA student preceptors. Descriptive statistics outlining frequencies of responses were completed.<br /> <b>Results:</b> The most frequently identified barriers included lack of preceptor experience with POCUS (63.7%), lack of access to a device (47.6%), and lack of familiarity with POCUS (45.2%). Time and lack of experience with POCUS were more commonly identified by inpatient providers. Lack of clinical indications and device access were more frequent in outpatient preceptors.<br /> <br /> <b>Discussion:</b> As programs incorporate POCUS, creating intentional opportunities for POCUS education on clinical rotations is needed. The differences in barriers based on practice type allow targeted intervention based on specific rotations.