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Integration of Didactic Knowledge with Procedural Skill: Learning Cardiac Electrophysiology and Electrocardiography Using Ultrasound

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Abstract

Understanding of cardiac electrophysiology and the ability to interpret an electrocardiogram require a robust skill set and present a significant challenge to medical students. Ultrasound imaging is a valuable tool that can help students to relate organ structure to its function. In the current pilot study conducted in 2014, the effectiveness of ultrasound in teaching cardiac physiology and electrocardiography was tested. An electrocardiography/echocardiography workshop was implemented to enhance teaching of cardiac physiology to first-year medical students to provide better correlation of electrical and mechanical events during the cardiac cycle. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate medical student understanding of electrocardiography while using live ultrasound imaging and determine their ability to identify electrical and subsequent mechanical events during the cardiac cycle after completing the workshop. Student competency in the electrocardiography component of the workshop was evaluated through pre- and post-tests. Student competency in the ultrasound component of the workshop was evaluated through an ultrasound assignment that focused on identifying cardiac structures on the ultrasound image. Results of the pre- and post-tests revealed significant improvement (P < .05) between the mean pre-test (56 %) and post-test scores (76 %). The majority of students (99 %) successfully completed the ultrasound assignment. Using ultrasound resulted in a marked improvement in student understanding of cardiac electrical and valvular events and ventricular wall motion. Students were able to better correlate electrical activity with cardiac mechanical events, understand cardiac physiology, and develop skills that will indirectly enhance the quality of future patient care.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Jane C. Johnson, MA, for help with the statistical analyses and Deborah Goggin, MA, for help with the manuscript preparation. This study was supported by grant No. 501-422 from the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association, “Visualization of Cardiac Function using Real-Time Ultrasound and ECG.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Community Health, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.T. Still University, 800 W. Jefferson St., Kirksville, MO, 63501, USA

    Tatyana Kondrashova

  2. Physiology Department, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, MO, USA

    William L. Sexton & Robert W. Baer

  3. Anatomy Department, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, MO, USA

    Peter Kondrashov

Authors
  1. Tatyana Kondrashova
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  2. William L. Sexton
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  3. Robert W. Baer
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  4. Peter Kondrashov
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tatyana Kondrashova.

Additional information

Tatyana Kondrashova holds MD and PhD, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.T. Still University.

William L. Sexton holds a PhD, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.T. Still University.

Robert W. Baer holds a PhD, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.T. Still University.

Peter Kondrashov holds a PhD, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.T. Still University.

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Kondrashova, T., Sexton, W.L., Baer, R.W. et al. Integration of Didactic Knowledge with Procedural Skill: Learning Cardiac Electrophysiology and Electrocardiography Using Ultrasound. Med.Sci.Educ. 25, 141–147 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-015-0119-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-015-0119-5

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