NCT06775899

Equivalence Study Comparing a Cost-Effective PC-Based Ultrasound Training Tool to Traditional Simulators in Third-Year Medical Students

Evaluating the Efficacy of a Cost-Effective PC-Based Tool as a Non-Inferior Alternative to Traditional Ultrasound Simulators in Medical Education

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 408 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Turin, Italy · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Brief Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a cost-effective, PC-based ultrasound training tool is as effective as a traditional, medium-cost ultrasound simulator for teaching third-year medical students thoracic and abdominal ultrasound skills. This study focuses on improving access to high-quality ultrasound training in educational settings with limited resources. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does the PC-based tool help participants improve their ability to optimize ultrasound images in a way comparable to the traditional simulator? 2. Can participants using the PC-based tool identify and interpret pathological conditions with the same accuracy as those using the traditional simulator? Participants are third-year medical students enrolled in a structured internship. They will: 1. Watch educational videos covering key concepts in thoracic and abdominal ultrasound imaging. 2. Rotate through training stations where they will practice using either the PC-based tool or the traditional simulator. 3. Perform hands-on exercises with healthy volunteers to practice image acquisition and recognition of anatomical structures. 4. Complete pre- and post-training assessments to measure their progress in skills such as image optimization and identifying pathological conditions. This study aims to explore whether a low-cost digital solution can provide equal educational value, offering a practical alternative to traditional simulators in resource-limited settings.

Conditions

• Ultrasound
• Medical Training
• Simulation Based Learning
• Medical Student

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	PC-Based Ultrasound Training Tool	An interactive, PowerPoint-based PC tool designed to simulate pathology recognition and ultrasound image optimization for medical students. It provides real ultrasound videos and images, allowing students to practice diagnostic interpretation and image acquisition in a structured training format.
DEVICE	Traditional Ultrasound Simulator (VausSim)	A medium-cost ultrasound simulator used for hands-on training in thoracic and abdominal ultrasound. It allows medical students to practice probe handling, image acquisition, and pathology recognition in a controlled simulation environment.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-03-04
• Primary completion: 2024-04-25
• Completion: 2024-04-26
• First posted: 2025-01-15
• Last updated: 2025-01-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Italy