A DOPPLER SIMULATOR FOR VASCULAR ULTRASOUND TRAINING

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant Doppler ultrasound is relied upon as the primary and often the only test used to diagnose vascular pathology Because variations in technical skill directly impact surgical referral decisions there is a strong clinical need to ensure that provides both attain and maintain skills in this procedure The problem we address is the lack of a quantitative or standardized method for assessing skill in Doppler ultrasound during or following training Our objective in Phase II is to develop and validate a simulator of vascular Doppler ultrasound for simulator based competency testing The features of our simulator make it uniquely suitable for competency testing because it enables realistic testing of the clinical procedure without requiring live patients and reports objective and quantitative metrics not only of cognitive skill knowledge but also of psychomotor technical skill in performing image acquisition These features are unique to our technology The ultimate aim of this proposal is to bring our simulator from prototype to fully operational and to demonstrate its validity for ultrasound skill assessment That demonstration will prove the feasibility of simulator based competency testing as well as bring this new technology to meet the requirements of professional societies that perform certification Our Specific Aims are Aim To develop test modules for three blood vessels whose diagnosis depends on Doppler ultrasound examinations Aim To complete the validation of our simulator for competency testing There are five types of validation evidence We demonstrated simulation accuracy in Phase I We will collect the remaining evidence in Phase II Aim To convert the software developed in Phase I from prototype to production quality code to give our simulator the reliability essential for high stake certification testing PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE We will develop and validate a simulator for testing cognitive skill knowledge and psychomotor technical skill in performing vascular Doppler ultrasound The overall goal is to improve patient safety by ensuring that providers attain and maintain requisite skills in performing this diagnostic procedure because it is very often the only mode of diagnosis and referral for treatment