PoCUS training in low-resource settings (Ghana) focussing on sustainability
Angela Booth, University of Salford
Introduction
The World Health Organisation acknowledges ultrasound as an important tool globally but recognises the need for education and training (Buscarini et al., 2013), and low-resource settings are ideal for point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) (Davis and Alade, 2021). The aim of training in low-resource settings should ensure sustainability and not rely on expensive visits by overseas instructors. Many projects have attempted to train large numbers of practitioners in short time periods and not include education of future trainers (Dreyfuss et al., 2020).
Project outline
The University of Salford (UoS) in conjunction with Worldwide Radiology (WWR) started a PoCUS training project in 2020 in Ghana with sustainability as a core priority. 2023 is the 3rd year of delivery and in 2022, the second year of delivery alongside the PoCUS training, we started a “Train the Trainer”, and three doctors who had completed the full course from the first cohort were selected to become trainers/assessors within our project. They received teaching on mentorship, training, failing to fail, assessing and giving feedback from an experienced UoS staff member and who was on site in Ghana. The three doctors were observed delivering teaching sessions and given verbal feedback. The university staff member observed them performing a formative and summative clinical assessment on one of the new cohort and giving feedback. They were then given feedback on their technique and discussed the final conclusions.
Conclusion
All three were moderated and there was no discrepancy between the decisions of the University moderator and the three new trainers. These three trainers are now being successfully used in year 3 and another three trainers are being “trained”, so in year 4 there will be six moderated trainers to work within the UoS and WWR joint project and reduce the need for United Kingdom-based staff to attend.