An Educational Course for the Achievement of Confidence in Basic Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST): Evaluation of a Small Group Workshop in Thai Medical Student
Thawatchai Tullavardhana MD*, Thammanij Rookkachart MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
Background : Trauma has become a leading cause of death in developing countries such as Thailand. After graduating from
the medical school, medical students have to work as emergency physicians in rural areas in the first 3-year term of
government service.
Objective : Our goal was to improve students’ confidence on performing Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma
(FAST).
Material and Method: The one-day small group-training course was organized at the Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot
University between January and December 2016. A total of 120 medical students particitpated in the small group workshop;
the participants were divided up into 7 to 8 participant/groups. The training program initiated with a one hour lecture by an
instructor and spent 6 hours in hands-on practice sessions with simulated patients. The participants completed a questionnaire
in the confidence of basic knowledge on equipment use, ability to illustrate 4 standard views and decision-making in FAST;
based on a 5-point Likert scale. The confidence scores between pre-and post-workshop questionnaires were compared by
paired t-test statistical analysis.
Results : There was a significant improvement of the confidence in basic ultrasound knowledge, comfort ability in equipment
use, the ability to demonstrate 4 standard views in FAST and the ability to make decisions about trauma patients after the
educational intervention. The mean overall score of pre-and post-workshop were 25.8 and 38.6, respectively (p<0.001). Our
results verify the effectiveness of small group workshops as an excellent training model for practice in FAST.
Conclusion : The small group workshop is an effective model of training for better performance in FAST. Small group hands-
on workshop is a valuable educational method for achieving an experience by the students even in the limited resources
situation.
Keywords : Abdominal injury, Ultrasound, Focused assessment with sonography in trauma, Medical education
