Ultrasound

[Chemdude]

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How important is it to know how to do ultrasound as a medical student? We had our first ultrasound session today, and I feel like I didn't get enough time to practice. Most of the stuff flew past my head. Are we expected to know how to do ultrasound come 3rd/4th year?

 

[mimelim]

Are we talking OB/Gyn u/s or vascular ultrasound?

At the end of the day, you should know the basics of both, but as far as functional skills, vascular ultrasound is more useful for the vast majority of residents since it has become standard of care to put in central lines under u/s guidance.

 

[Smurfette]

No, you are not expected to be proficient with US as a med student.

 

[Chemdude]

Are we talking OB/Gyn u/s or vascular ultrasound?

At the end of the day, you should know the basics of both, but as far as functional skills, vascular ultrasound is more useful for the vast majority of residents since it has become standard of care to put in central lines under u/s guidance.

We were doing musculoskeletal ultrasound today. We'll have two more sessions where we'll do OB/Gyn and vascular ultrasound.

 

[obgyny]

How important is it to know how to do ultrasound as a medical student? We had our first ultrasound session today, and I feel like I didn't get enough time to practice. Most of the stuff flew past my head. Are we expected to know how to do ultrasound come 3rd/4th year?

It takes time to get the hang of it. US is emphasized at my school and is part of the curriculum. But we would have practice sessions spread out through the year. At first it all looked like static to me, but after a while I started getting better at recognizing structures on the screen, knowing which way is up/down/L/R, where to put the transducer, etc. It also made a lot more sense once we had anatomy.

 

[link2swim06]

Yep it is very school dependent.

My school gives us personal Vscans for most of third year and a ton of sessions 1st/2nd year but some schools almost have no ultrasound.

Here is the thing with ultrasound, there are about 5-10 "scans" you will do again, and again. When you are decent at those you will feel very comfortable with ultrasound.

 

[armybound]

My school doesn't teach us ultrasounds at all.

 

[evilbooyaa]

My school doesn't teach us ultrasounds at all.

Same here.
Luckily, I was in the GI Lab watching some EUS from the GI attending on Monday. He was (luckily) telling me where the arteries, veins, and bile/pancreatic ducts were, and I quickly was able to pick out those on multiple patients getting an EUS.

So I think it's something you'll look really stupid with at first, but once you see a few I imagine it'll be easier to read. Now I'm just a medical student, so in the above example he didn't let me manipulate the endoscope and be able to find the structures by myself.

 

[DrDrummer]

My school doesn't teach us ultrasounds at all.

No longer true. Ultrasound is now in ICM and Physical Diagnosis, every session. They're not doing a fantastic job quite yet, but they're integrating into the curriculum for sure-- also, if you want to learn how to do ultrasound for reals, just go follow around one of the ED ultrasound fellows (or an attending who works in the fellowship, like Press) for a night and you'll learn most of what you want to know.

 

[armybound]

No longer true. Ultrasound is now in ICM and Physical Diagnosis, every session. They're not doing a fantastic job quite yet, but they're integrating into the curriculum for sure-- also, if you want to learn how to do ultrasound for reals, just go follow around one of the ED ultrasound fellows (or an attending who works in the fellowship, like Press) for a night and you'll learn most of what you want to know.

Well sure, if you want to learn you can always go to someone who does them and asks you to teach them. But they're not teaching us how to do them before rotations or anything. It might not be the worst idea for them to give us a little practice before starting ob/gyn instead of having is place Foleys for the 10th time..

 

[evilbooyaa]

No longer true. Ultrasound is now in ICM and Physical Diagnosis, every session. They're not doing a fantastic job quite yet, but they're integrating into the curriculum for sure-- also, if you want to learn how to do ultrasound for reals, just go follow around one of the ED ultrasound fellows (or an attending who works in the fellowship, like Press) for a night and you'll learn most of what you want to know.

I don't understand this post. Clearly it's present in your school. However, I didn't have any ultrasound imaging, either in lecture or on an exam during my ICM and physical diagnosis course last year. They DID teach us how to read X-Rays, CTs (basics), brain MRIs, etc. in Anatomy. Never US.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

How important is it to know how to do ultrasound as a medical student? We had our first ultrasound session today, and I feel like I didn't get enough time to practice. Most of the stuff flew past my head. Are we expected to know how to do ultrasound come 3rd/4th year?

Ultrasound is the new hotness. The more training you get up front the earlier it will be. Identifying things like "veins vs arteries" and "ascitic fluid" are pretty easy, and incredibly useful.
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Harder things like doing a 2D echo, Gallbladder, or Kidney will take MUCH longer to be able to do at the bedside. But these, too, can push your physical diagnosis skills further. If you are able to do these tests,, even informally, you may be able to save time NOT getting an unnecessary test with an official read, or RUSH a test you know you need.

Ultrasound is the wave of the future. I'm behind. I'm farther ahead than most of my fellow residents. But I'm behind. I have 0 formal training in Ultrasound... everything I've learned is as a resident, following around fellowship trained people (in ultrasound) or cardiologists. I can not overstate the importance of getting a really good, solid foundation on Ultrasounds.