[Progress in undergraduate and postgraduate education in abdominal ultrasonography at German university hospitals in 1999-2009]. / Aus- und Weiterbildungssituation in der Abdomensonografie an deutschen Universitätskliniken--Vergleich 1999-2009.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the current state of undergraduate and postgraduate education in abdominal ultrasonography at German university hospitals and to compare these findings with data from 1999. METHODS: A survey, encompassing questions related to technical equipment, undergraduate education, graduate education and quality assurance, was conducted at all 36 gastroenterological departments of university hospitals in Germany. The response rate was 86 %. RESULTS: Currently, there is an average of four dedicated ultrasound units for abdominal ultrasonography per department. Two percent are basic units, 12 % are middle-class and 86 % are high-end units. Compared to 1999 there has been an improvement in the quality of ultrasound units but no increase in number; the percentage of high-end units has considerably increased. All departments offer undergraduate training in abdominal ultrasonography. On average, about 100 students per semester take part in training programmes. Ten years ago only 86 % of hospitals provided undergraduate training, for an average of 55 students per semester. Postgraduate training is offered full-time in 94 % of hospitals (1999 77 %) over a mean time span of 6.1 months (1999 4.3 months). In 2009a mean of 4.7 physicians per department underwent ultrasonography training, down from 5.6 physicians per department in 1999. CONCLUSION: Over the ten-year observation period, the quality of dedicated ultrasonography equipment for abdominal ultrasonography in the gastroenterological departments of German university hospitals has improved considerably, while the quality of postgraduate education has improved only slightly. In addition, there was improvement in undergraduate ultrasonography training.