Ecofisio, a Mobile Application for Assessment and Diagnosis Using Ultrasound Imaging for Undergraduate Health Science Students

Ecofisio, a Mobile Application for Assessment and Diagnosis Using Ultrasound Imaging for Undergraduate Health Science Students

The new called "Generation Z" is starting to reach college age. They have adopted technology and create a deep dependence on it, becoming more drawn to the virtual world. M-learning has experienced a huge expansion in recent years in both, medical context and medical and health's sciences education. Ultrasound is an important diagnosis technique in physiotherapy, especially in sports pathology. m-Learning environments could be a useful tool for improve the comprehension of ultrasound concepts and the acquisition of professional competencies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the use of an interactive platform accessible through mobile devices (ECOFISIO) using ultrasound imaging for the development of professional competencies in the evaluation and diagnosis of sports pathologies. Participants were 110 undergraduate students enrolled in two groups of this randomized controlled multicentre study: a control group (traditional learning) and experimental group (ECOFISIO mobile application). All participants were assessed both theoretically and by means of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) exams.

Ecofisio Group received the ECOFISIO mobile application after students had received theoretical-practical lessons about ultrasound skills in sports pathologies areas, to study the subject.

Students received theoretical-practical lessons about ultrasound skills in sports pathologies areas and used traditional study models, to study the subject

The ECOFISIO application is focused on sports pathologies and contains relevant written and digital information about ultrasound imaging and managing as well as diagnosis of sport injuries.

An OSCE is a type of examination often used in health sciences. It is designed to test clinical skill performance and competence in a range of skills. The OSCE content and scoring procedures are standardized. It consists of five stations with five specific components of musculoskeletal ultrasound. Each test station is designed to focus on an area of clinical competence, namely: patient positioning, ultrasound probe positioning, ultrasound probe orientation (angle), ultrasound probe management and image adjustment. A standardized scoring tool is used to record what you do or don't do well, with a Likert scale with a range of 0 to 4 to rate the specific efficiency of each component. All OSCE candidates experience the same problem and are asked to perform the same task, within the same deadline. OSCEs are now widely used in undergraduate, graduate and undergraduate assessments. Overall reliability for this tool, Cronbach's alpha, is 0.89.

The MCQ is an evaluation of the theoretical knowledge with 20 questions where a maximum score of 10 points could be obtained.The higher score, the better outcome.

a specific 5-point Likert questionnaire (from 1 indicating 'disagree' to 5 indicating 'strongly agree'), which had been used in similar contexts previously

Inclusion criteria: To have anatomy and biomechanics previous knowledge. To be enrolled in any required subject. To have basic ability to use a mobile application. To have a smartphone with Internet Access (Android Operating System). Exclusion criteria: - To have received any previous training in ultrasound imaging and managing.

Lozano-Lozano M, Galiano-Castillo N, Fernandez-Lao C, Postigo-Martin P, Alvarez-Salvago F, Arroyo-Morales M, Cantarero-Villanueva I. The Ecofisio Mobile App for Assessment and Diagnosis Using Ultrasound Imaging for Undergraduate Health Science Students: Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2020 Mar 10;22(3):e16258. doi: 10.2196/16258.