The development of a pragmatic, clinically driven ultrasound curriculum in a UK medical school.

Whether ultrasound (US) should be incorporated into a medical undergraduate curriculum remains a matter of debate within the medical education arena. There are clear potential benefits to its early introduction particularly with respect to the study of living anatomy and physiology in addition to the learning of clinical skills and procedures required for the graduate clinical practice. However, this needs to be balanced against what is perceived as an added value in addition to financial and time constraints which may potentially lead to the sacrifice of other aspects of the curriculum. Several medical schools have already reported their experiences of teaching US either as a standalone course or as a fully integrated vertical curriculum. This article describes and discusses the initial experience of a UK medical school that has taken the steps to develop its own pragmatic vertical US curriculum based on clinical endpoints with the intent of using US to enhance the learning experience of students and equipping them with the skills required for the safe practice as a junior doctor.

Medical student use of Facebook to support preparation for anatomy assessments.

The use of Facebook to support students is an emerging area of educational research. This study explored how a Facebook Page could support Year 2 medical (MBChB) students in preparation for summative anatomy assessments and alleviate test anxiety. Overall, Facebook analytics revealed that in total 49 (19.8% of entire cohort) students posted a comment in preparation for either the first (33 students) or second (34) summative anatomy assessments. 18 students commented in preparation for both. In total, 155 comments were posted, with 83 for the first and 72 for the second. Of the 83 comments, 45 related to checking anatomical information, 30 were requiring assessment information and 8 wanted general course information. For the second assessment this was 52, 14 and 6, respectively. Student perceptions on usage, and impact on learning and assessment preparation were obtained via a five-point Likert-style questionnaire, with 119 students confirming they accessed the Page. Generally, students believed the Page was an effective way to support their learning, and provided information which supported their preparation with increases in perceived confidence and reductions in anxiety. There was no difference between gender, except for males who appeared to be significantly less likely to ask a question as they may be perceived to lack knowledge (P < 0.05). This study suggests that Facebook can play an important role in supporting students in preparation for anatomy assessments. Anat Sci Educ 10: 205-214. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.