Distributed Medical Training for Force Mobilization and Disaster Response

Training is critically needed to prepare physicians and corpsmen of various specialties to perform trauma care when mobilized on military missions or operations. The goal of Sonalysts and the University of Maryland Medical Center is to develop a scenario-driven, real-time, simulation-based Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) examination training system to close the gap between prior experience and likely demands on physicians’ and corpsmen’s skills. This training system integrates ultrasound simulations with medical case-based, virtual patient electronic tutoring software. We conducted a task analysis of FAST medical diagnosis and designed a training system that incorporates the latest in instructional methods. We intend to foster apprenticeship learning through a learn-by-doing approach, with training scenarios presented in a narrative format to provide engaging and authentic context. An online coach will provide analogical comparisons, automatically generated hints, and immediate remedial feedback. Identifiable features on the ultrasound images will contain active links, and normal and abnormal patient ultrasounds will be viewable for comparison. Students will be able to select virtual patient views from any of the predetermined FAST viewpoints and compare computer-generated critiques with their self-critiques.