Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38819664›Full record

ArticleThe ultrasound journal2024

Online vs in-person musculoskeletal ultrasound course: a cohort comparison study.

Shirley Lake, Ryan Brydges, Chris Penney, Diane Wilson, Raquel Sweezie, Maria Bagovich, David Bong, Susan Barr, Lynfa Stroud

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The ultrasound journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. A Pilot Study of a Synchronous Virtual Ultrasound Imaging Module for Physiotherapy Education.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Shirley LakeDivision of Rheumatology, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, M4N3M5, Toronto, ON, Canada. Shirley.lake@Sunnybrook.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5443-2832
Ryan Brydges *Department of Medicine, Unity Health Toronto, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Chris PenneyDivision of Rheumatology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
Diane WilsonLunenberg, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Raquel SweezieSunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada.
Maria BagovichDivision of Rheumatology, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, M4N3M5, Toronto, ON, Canada.
David BongUniversity of Barcelona School of Medicine, Barcelona, Spain.
Susan BarrDivision of Rheumatology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
Lynfa Stroud *Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Funding

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of CanadaSunnybrook health sciences centre Sunnybrook health sciences centre
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPoint-of-care musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound (US) courses are typically held in-person. The COVID-19 pandemic guidelines forced courses to switch to online delivery. To determine this impact, we conducted an observational cohort study, comparing homework completion and image quality between an Online and a historical In-person cohort.

methodsThe In-person (n = 27) and Online (n = 24) cohorts attended two learning sessions spaced six months apart. The course content was the same, while the process of delivery differed. As homework, participants submitted US images biweekly for up to five months after each session. Expert faculty provided written feedback to all participants, and two independent reviewers rated the image quality for a subset of participants in each group who had completed at least 70% of their homework (In-person, n = 9; Online, n = 9). Participants self-reported their satisfaction through post-course evaluation.

results63% of In-Person and 71% of Online cohort participants submitted their homework images. We observed no differences in the mean amount of homework images submitted for In-person (M = 37.3%, SD = 42.6%) and Online cohorts (M = 48.1%, SD = 38.8%; p > 0.05, Mann-Whitney U Test). At course end, the cohorts did not differ in overall image quality (p > 0.05, Wilcoxon Signed-rank Test). All participants reported high levels of satisfaction.

conclusionsA convenience sample of participants attending a basic MSK US course in-person and online did not differ statistically in homework completion, quality of submitted US images, or course satisfaction. We add to literature suggesting online learning remains a viable option post-pandemic.

Indexed as

Musculoskeletal ultrasound online education

Identifiers

PMID38819664
PMCPMC11143147

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.