To assess the value of an ultrasound simulator in evaluating the effect of ultrasonic residents training.

Eleven residents who underwent standardized resident training at Department of Ultrasound of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were selected. Seven normal ultrasound sections and three cases of abdominal organs were displayed by residents using an ultrasound simulator, and six parameters such as the long diameter and short diameter of the largest section of the lesion were completed, which were compared with the measurements of senior doctors. After two months of outpatient practice, the virtual ultrasound model was used again for resident evaluation, which was recorded as G0M and G2M (G, group; M, month) before and after the exercise. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the examination time between the two groups, and independent sample t-test was used to compare the measurements between residents and senior doctors. Chi-square test (Fisher exact probability test) was used to compare the completion rate and the qualified rate between the two groups.

The average qualified rate of seven normal sections in G0M was 59.46% (44/74), and the average examination time was (8.18±2.96) min. In G2M, the qualified rate was 71.43%, the average qualified rate was increased to 88.31%, and the average time was reduced to (5.45±1.57) min, which were significantly different from those in G0M (χ²=44.101, P＜0.001; t=-2.698, P=0.014). The completion rate for the three cases in G2M was higher than that in G0M, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05). The examination time for case 1 and case 2 in G2M was less than that in G0M [1.00 (2.00, 1.00) min vs 3.00 (4.00, 2.00) min; 2.00 (2.00, 1.00) min vs 2.50 (3.00, 2.00) min], and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (Z=-3.089 and -2.061, P=0.002 and 0.039, respectively). The long diameter measurement accuracy for case 3 in the G2M group was lower than that of the G0M group, and there was a significant difference between G2M and senior doctors [(8.42±0.88) cm vs 9.45 cm; t=-3.097, P=0.021].

The ultrasound simulator can be used to evaluate the effects of skill training of ultrasound residents during the initial and practice stage.