The effects of simple graphical and mental visualization of lung sounds in teaching lung auscultation during clinical clerkship: A preliminary study

Abstract

IntroductionThe study aimed to evaluate visualization-based training’s effects on lung auscultation during clinical clerkship (CC) in the Department of Respiratory Medicine on student skills and confidence.MethodsThe study period was December 2020–November 2021. Overall, 65 students attended a lecture on lung auscultation featuring a simulator (Mr. Lung™). Among them, 35 (visualization group) received additional training wherein they were asked to mentally visualize lung sounds using a graphical visualized lung sounds diagram as an example. All students answered questions on their self-efficacy regarding lung auscultation before and after four weeks of CC. They also took a lung auscultation test with the simulator at the beginning of CC (pre-test) and on the last day of the third week (post-test) (maximum score: 25). We compared the answers in the questionnaire and the test scores between the visualization group and students who only attended the lecture (control group, n = 30). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and analysis of covariance were used to compare the answers to the questionnaire about confidence in lung auscultation and the scores of the lung auscultation tests before and after the training.ResultsConfidence in auscultation of lung sounds significantly increased in both groups (five-point Likert scale, visualization group: pre-questionnaire median 1 [Interquartile range 1] to post-questionnaire 3 [1],p<0.001; control group: 2 [1] to 3 [1],p<0.001) and was significantly higher in the visualization than in the control group. Test scores increased in both groups (visualization group: pre-test 11 [2] to post-test 15 [4],p<0.001; control group: 11 [5] to 14 [4],p<0.001). However, there were no differences between both groups’ pre and post-tests scores (p= 0.623).ConclusionVisualizing lung sounds may increase medical students’ confidence in their lung auscultation skills; this may reduce their resistance to lung auscultation and encourage the repeated auscultation necessary to further improve their long-term auscultation abilities.