Cardiac auscultation via simulation: a survey of the approach of UK medical schools

BMC Research Notes

Kenneth Wong¹  Samantha Jayne Owen² 

[1] Department of Academic Cardiology, Hull York Medical School, Castle Hill Hospital, Castle Rd, Cottingham, Hull HU16 5JQ, UK;Hull York Medical School, John Hughlings Jackson Building, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK

关键词: Curriculum;    Auscultation;    Medical education;    Simulation;   

Others  :  1230174
DOI  :  10.1186/s13104-015-1419-y

 received in 2015-03-15, accepted in 2015-09-07,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

A decline in clinical skills of medical students and junior doctors is well documented. We aim to determine how the 32 UK medical schools utilise simulated heart sounds to develop medical students’ cardiac auscultation skills.

Methods

Representatives of all 32 UK medical schools were contacted with a survey questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS. Continuous variables e.g. teaching group size were described using median and interquartile range (IQR).

Results

27 Medical schools use a form of simulated heart sounds as a teaching method (2 representatives were unsure, 3 did not respond). This teaching is mandatory in 17 schools. Simulation-based teaching tends to be offered during 3rd year of medical training [median = 3rd year, interquartile range (IQR) 2–3]. Seven medical schools offered simulation teaching more than once. The median number of students in each session was 7.5 [IQR = 5.5–9.5]. One medical school reported that they were unsure how best to implement the heart sound simulation into the medical undergraduate curriculum.

Conclusion

The results of our survey of all the UK medical schools suggest that heart sound simulation are used mainly as an introduction to heart murmurs rather than a tool for repetitive practice, complementing clinical experience. Most medical schools do not measure the impact of such teaching on clinical examination.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Owen and Wong.

【 图 表 】

Fig.1.

Fig.1.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Oliver CM, Hunter SA, Ikeda T, Galletly DC. Junior doctor skill in the art of physical examination: a retrospective study of the medical admission note over four decades. BMJ Open. 2013;3(4). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002257.
• [2]Qureshi Z, Maxwell S: Has bedside teaching had its day? Adv Health Sci Educ 2012, 17(2):301-304.
• [3]Ramani S, Ring BN, Lowe R, Hunter D: A pilot study assessing knowledge of clinical signs and physical examination skills in incoming medicine residents. J Grad Med Educ 2010, 2(2):232-235.
• [4]Alam U, Asghar O, Khan SQ, Hayat S, Malik RA: Cardiac auscultation: an essential clinical skill in decline. Br J Cardiol 2010, 17:8-10.
• [5]Mangione S: Cardiac auscultatory skills of physicians-in-training: a comparison of three English-speaking countries. Am J Med 2003, 110:210-216.
• [6]Kumar K, Thompson WR: Evaluation of cardiac auscultation skills in pediatric residents. Clin Pediatr 2013, 52:66-73.
• [7]McKinney J, Cook DA, Wood D, Hatala R: Simulation-based training for cardiac auscultation skills: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Gen Intern Med 2013, 28:283-291.
• [8]Barrett MJ, Kuzma MA, Seto TC, et al.: The power of repetition in mastering cardiac auscultation. Am J Med 2006, 119:73-75.
• [9]Issenberg SB, McGaghie WC, Petrusa ER, Lee Gordon D, Scalese RJ: Features and uses of high-fidelity medical simulations that lead to effective learning: a BEME systematic review. Med Teach 2005, 27(1):10-28.
• [10]Urgent revival of compassion in UK medical training: integration of compassion assessment into a cardiovascular OSCE to drive learning. Oral presentation at ASME Annual Scientific Meeting 2014, Wednesday 16th July 2014, The Brighton Centre, Brighton.