Impact of point of care ultrasound rotation on single Saudi emergency medicine program

Background: Emergency ultrasound has become an essential component of patient care and a mandatory skill for emergency medicine (EM) residents. Since 2001, major EM organizations have released guidelines mandating the integration of bedside ultrasonography into EM practice. This study aims to evaluate the ultra sound knowledge of emergency residents and their progress by conducting a survey before and after their emergency ultrasound (EUS) rotation. Method: This longitudinal prospective study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to investigate the improvement in knowledge, interpretation accuracy, and clinical decision-making based on ultrasound findings. The study included first-year residents who joined the residency program in 2023. The research team collected data by administering a pre-test and post-test. Results: We analyzed data from 12 residents. Half of them had received ultrasound training, and half of them used ultrasound on a daily basis. Regarding the perceived barriers to ultrasound training, the most commonly reported barriers were a lack of training (75.0%) and a lack of equipment (41.7%). All of the residents under the study anticipated the use of ultrasound in their clinical practice. The mean knowledge score of the pre-rotation period was 13.8 ± 2.6, whereas the mean post-rotation score was 17.3 ± 1.6. There was a significant increase in the knowledge score from the pre- to the post-rotation period (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study has highlighted the significant benefits of the EUS rotation, including increased confidence in using ultrasound as a diagnostic tool and an enriched educational experience.