Effects of Student-Performed Point-of-Care Ultrasound on Physician Diagnosis and Management of Patients in the Emergency Department.

Background: Despite the increasing integration of ultrasound training into medical education, there is an inadequate body of research demonstrating the benefits and practicality of medical student-performed point-of-care ultrasound (SP-POCUS) in the clinical setting.

Objectives: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects that SP-POCUS can have on physician diagnosis and management of patients in the emergency department, with a secondary purpose of evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of SP-POCUS.

Methods: SP-POCUS examinations were performed in the emergency department by medical students who completed year one of a 4-year medical school curriculum with integrated ultrasound training.