Defining and Addressing Anesthesiology Needs in Simulation-based Medical Education.

Background: This study's primary aim was to determine how training programs use simulation-based medical education (SBME), because SBME is linked to superior clinical performance. Methods: An anonymous 10-question survey was distributed to anesthesiology residency program directors across the United States. The survey aimed to assess where and how SBME takes place, which resources are available, frequency of and barriers to its use, and perceived utility of a dedicated departmental education laboratory. Results: The survey response rate was 30.4% (45/148). SBME typically occurred at shared on-campus laboratories, with residents typically participating in SBME 1 to 4 times per year. Frequently practiced skills included airway management, trauma scenarios, nontechnical skills, and ultrasound techniques (all ≥ 77.8%). Frequently cited logistical barriers to simulation laboratory use included COVID-19 precautions (75.6%), scheduling (57.8%), and lack of trainers (48.9%). Several respondents also acknowledged financial barriers. Most respondents believed a dedicated departmental education laboratory would be a useful or very useful resource (77.8%). Conclusion: SBME is a widely incorporated activity but may be impeded by barriers that our survey helped identify. Barriers can be addressed by departmental education laboratories. We discuss how such laboratories increase capabilities to support structured SBME events and how costs can be offset. Other academic departments may also benefit from establishing such laboratories.

Comprehensive Ultrasound Course for Special Operations Combat and Tactical Medics.

BACKGROUND: Advances in ultrasound technology with enhanced portability and high-quality imaging has led to a surge in its use on the battlefield by nonphysician providers. However, there is a consistent need for comprehensive and standardized ultrasound training to improve ultrasound knowledge, manual skills, and workflow understanding of nonphysician providers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our team designed a multimodal ultrasound course to improve ultrasound knowledge, manual skills, and workflow understanding of nine Special Operations combat medics and Special Operations tactical medics. The course was based on a flipped classroom model with a total time of 43 hours, consisting of an online component followed by live lectures and hands-on workshops. The effectiveness of the course was determined using a knowledge exam, expert ratings of manual skills using a global rating scale, and an objective structured clinical skills examination (OSCE). RESULTS: The average knowledge exam score of the medics increased from pre-course (56% ± 6.8%) to post-course (80% ± 5.0%, p < .001). Based on expert ratings, their manual skills improved from baseline to day 4 of the course for image finding (p = .007), image optimization (p = .008), image acquisition speed (p = .008), final image quality (p = .008), and global assessment (p = .008). Their average score at every OSCE station was > 91%. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive multimodal training program can be used to improve military medics' ultrasound knowledge, manual skills, and workflow understanding for various applications of ultrasound. Further research is required to develop a reliable, sustainable course.

Temporal course of the tourette syndrome clinical triad.

BACKGROUND: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a disorder characterized by childhood onset of motor and phonic tics, often with improvement of tic symptoms by young adult years. The temporal course of tics and commonly comorbid behavioral symptoms is still not well characterized. METHODS: In order to clarify the time course of tics and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in TS, we administered a brief survey regarding the course of symptoms at a single point in time to 53 TS patients aged 13-31 years. RESULTS: Mean age (±SD) at symptom onset was 7.9 (±3.6) years for tics, 7.9 (±3.5) for ADHD, and 9.2 (±5.0) for OCD. Age at peak symptom severity was 12.3 (±4.6) years for tics, 10.8 (±3.8) for ADHD, and 12.6 (±5.5) for OCD. Tics, ADHD, and OCD were reported to be no longer present in 32.0%, 22.8%, and 21.0% of subjects, respectively. Decline in symptom severity began at age 14.7 (±3.7) years for tics, 13.9 (±2.9) for ADHD, and 15.1 (±5.0) for OCD. Remission of symptoms occurred at age 17.4 (±3.8) years for tics, 17.4 (±1.3) for ADHD, and 15.6 (±2.3) for OCD. DISCUSSION: Our data confirm and expand previously reported TS spectrum symptom milestones and may guide design of future research aimed at improving the course of TS.