E-learning in ultrasonography: a web based approach

Emilio Filippucci ¹, Gary Meenagh ², Alessandro Ciapetti ¹, Annamaria Iagnocco ³, Allister Taggart ² and Walter Grassi ^1*

¹ Rheumatology Department, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
² Department of Rheumatology, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland
³ Medical Therapy Department, Rheumatology Unit, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: walter.grassi{at}univpm.it.

Accepted 13 February 2007

Abstract

Objectives: The main aim of this report is to propose e-learning methods that address the fundamental problems related to sonographic training in rheumatology.

Methods: The project was designed for rheumatologists with strong motivation to learn ultrasound. A modular approach was constructed consisting of a basic 3-day residential course followed by a 6-month period of web based tutoring and culminating in a final 2-day residential course with a formal assessment of competency.

Results: The website (http://www.sonography.eu) was accessed by all 60 participants. A mean of 20 log-on sessions were registered for each participant (range 10- 80) and a mean of 250 minutes of web access was recorded (range 60-600 minutes). A total of 163 sonographic images were submitted by 18 (30%). The majority of the images focused on the following anatomical areas: shoulder 49 (30%), hand 34 (21%) and knee 20 (12%). A total time investment of approximately 14 hours was made by the US tutors over the 6 month period for interaction with participants.

Conclusions: The e-learning methods described in this report represent the first attempt to adopt a novel technique to circumvent several of the inherent barriers to the many facets of teaching musculoskeletal ultrasound to a wide audience.

Keywords: E-learning, musculoskeletal ultrasound, training

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