Competency-based ultrasound curriculum for standardized training resident: a pre- and post-training evaluation

Background: Ultrasound training is crucial for residents across specialties but presents challenges for residents that are not specializing in ultrasound. Investigating the effectiveness of competency-based ultrasound curricula for a wider range of medical specialties is imperative.

Methods: A total of 250 residents who attended the ultrasound curriculum between June 2023 and June 2024 were included in the analysis. The competency-based curriculum combined theoretical and practical training. The evaluations were taken both before the residents participated in the ultrasound curriculum (pre-training) and after completing the training (post-training). Resident feedback was also collected.

Results: Post-training, all the grades improved interpretation scores and reduced answer times, resulting in knowledge homogenization. Imaging specialty residents initially scored higher, but non-imaging-related residents showed greater improvements post-training; feedback highlighted the need for an expanded training scope, more hands-on practice, and optimized schedules, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive ultrasound training.

Conclusions: The competency-based ultrasound curriculum enhances theoretical and practical skills, standardizing knowledge across grades and benefiting non-imaging-related residents the most. This study supports the integration of structured ultrasound training in residency programs to improve clinical competencies.