An educational course for the achievement of confidence in basic focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST): Evaluation of a small group workshop in Thai medical student

Abstract

Background: Trauma has become a leading cause of death in developing countries such as Thailand. After graduating from the medical school, medical students have to work as emergency physicians in rural areas in the first 3-year term of government service. Objective: Our goal was to improve students’ confidence on performing Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST). Material and Method: The one-day small group-training course was organized at the Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University between January and December 2016. A total of 120 medical students particitpated in the small group workshop; the participants were divided up into 7 to 8 participant/groups. The training program initiated with a one hour lecture by an instructor and spent 6 hours in hands-on practice sessions with simulated patients. The participants completed a questionnaire in the confidence of basic knowledge on equipment use, ability to illustrate 4 standard views and decision-making in FAST; based on a 5-point Likert scale. The confidence scores between pre-and post-workshop questionnaires were compared by paired t-test statistical analysis. Results: There was a significant improvement of the confidence in basic ultrasound knowledge, comfort ability in equipment use, the ability to demonstrate 4 standard views in FAST and the ability to make decisions about trauma patients after the educational intervention. The mean overall score of pre-and post-workshop were 25.8 and 38.6, respectively (p<0.001). Our results verify the effectiveness of small group workshops as an excellent training model for practice in FAST. Conclusion: The small group workshop is an effective model of training for better performance in FAST. Small group hands-on workshop is a valuable educational method for achieving an experience by the students even in the limited resources situation. © 2017 Medical Association of Thailand. All rights reserved.