OP08.11: Validity of three obstetrical ultrasound simulators in the assessment of ultrasound skills

To evaluate the validity of three obstetrical Ultrasound (US) simulators as tools to evaluate trainees enrolled in the ISUOG Basic Training program. Twelve trainees were asked to obtain standardised basic US planes on four different stations: a volunteer pregnant woman and three US simulators (a simulator application available on smartphones/tablets, another solid body-shaped simulator and a third simulator using the optical positioning technology). Each participant was evaluated on two scoring sheets: the 20-planes approach from the ISUOG training program and the Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skills (OSAUS). The evaluation was done by an experienced maternal-fetal medicine examiner. Comparison between scores were made using Wilcoxon test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered for statistical significance. ISUOG and OSAUS scores obtained using the optical positioning simulator were comparable to those obtained on a pregnant woman (p-value 0.34 and 0.43). ISUOG scores were similar when comparing the three different simulators (all p-values > 0.05). OSAUS scores were similar between the application and the body-shaped simulators (p = 0.37). The use of obstetrical US simulators in the evaluation of US skills may be an adequate alternative to the evaluation on a volunteer pregnant woman.