EchocardiographySLOPENCT06106178
A Novel Serious Game as an Alternative for Teaching Basic Point-of-Care Transthoracic Echocardiography Skills
A study testing Simulator for Basic Ultrasound Skills and Serious Video Game in people with Echocardiography and Education, Medical, run by Medical University of Vienna at 1 site in Austria.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare different digital learning methods for teaching basic skills in point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography to medical students. The main question it aims to answer is: Is a novel digital learning tool, such as a serious video game, non-inferior to traditional ultrasound… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 110 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Echocardiography, Education, Medical
- What is being tested?
- Simulator for Basic Ultrasound Skills and Serious Video Game
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 1 siteAustria
- Study dates
- 3 Oct 2023to 30 Jul 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 110 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Medical student at the Medical University of Vienna (Medicine Degree Program)
- ≥18 years
- Basic knowledge of anatomy (completed Block 2 of the MUV curriculum)
Who cannot join
- Previous experience using an ultrasound device
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare different digital learning methods for teaching basic skills in point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography to medical students.
The main question it aims to answer is:
Read more
- Is a novel digital learning tool, such as a serious video game, non-inferior to traditional ultrasound simulator teaching methods in the context of basic point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography skills training?
Participants will train basic point-of-care ultrasound skills using either a traditional basic ultrasound simulator course or the serious video game "Underwater". Both methods focus on training hand-eye coordination, which is particularly important in transthoracic echocardiography. To compare the performance of the participants, a baseline assessment will be performed before and a final assessment after the two-week training period.
Read the detailed description
Point-of-care ultrasound education follows non-standardized teaching and learning methods. In many cases, ultrasound is practiced directly on patients without proper training, or ultrasound simulators are used. However, these simulators are expensive to purchase and are not always readily available to students. In addition, there are a growing number of new digital tools, such as serious video games, that aim to deliver the same content in a more accessible and cost-effective manner. However, in the field of point-of-care echocardiography, there is still little scientific evidence to support their use.
This single-blind, prospective, randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial aims to demonstrate the non-inferiority of a serious video game compared to conventional simulator-based training of basic echocardiography skills to make ultrasound training more accessible to every trainee.
Only medical students who already have the necessary anatomical knowledge but no experience with ultrasound diagnostics will be recruited to participate in this study. Participants will attend a 90-minute workshop to learn the basics of point-of-care echocardiography. They will then be required to perform standardized transthoracic echocardiography before and after a two-week training period, which will be scored by blinded experts. During the training phase, one group will practice the hand-eye coordination required for echocardiography using an ultrasound simulator, while the second group will practice the same content using a serious video game. In addition, questionnaires will be used to collect additional data from the participants.
- Conditions
- Echocardiography, Education, Medical
- Being tested
- Simulator for Basic Ultrasound Skills, Serious Video Game
- Keywords
- Echocardiography, Education, Medical, Anesthesiology, Critical Care
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Simulator for Basic Ultrasound SkillsOther
Basic course of a traditional ultrasound simulator focusing on hand-eye coordination
Serious Video GameOther
The serious video game "Underwater" uses a 3D-printed ultrasound probe for maneuvering. During gameplay, coins must be collected in an underwater world using the aforementioned simulated ultrasound probe. The main focus of this game is to improve hand-eye coordination while using an ultrasound probe.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Simulator for Basic Ultrasound Skills | Other | Basic course of a traditional ultrasound simulator focusing on hand-eye coordination Receives: Other: Simulator for Basic Ultrasound Skills |
| Serious Video Game | Other | Serious video game "Underwater" that focuses on hand-eye coordination training using a 3D-printed ultrasound probe for maneuvering. Receives: Other: Serious Video Game |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Difference in the participants' modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the baseline and final assessment
The primary outcome measure is the difference in the participant's modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the participants' baseline and final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective final assessment score is calculated.
Measured: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment score
Secondary outcomes (25)
Gender differences in modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) scores between the baseline and final assessment
A two-factorial analysis of variance model (including an interaction term) will be used to determine the influence of gender in the difference of the modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the baseline and final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. To adjust for potential imbalances between the randomized groups, the HEXACO (a measure of the six major dimensions of personality; H: Honesty-Humility; E: Emotionality; X: eXtraversion; A: Agreeableness (versus Anger); C: Conscientiousness; O: Openness to Experience) subscale of openness to experience (ranging from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating more openness to experience) and the Technology Readiness Score (ranging from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating more technology readiness) were included as covariates in the ANCOVA model.
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Group effects on gender differences in modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) scores
A two-factorial analysis of variance model (including an interaction term) will be used to determine the potential modifying effect of gender on the training effect, which is calculated as the difference in the participant's total modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the participant's baseline assessment and final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. To adjust for potential imbalances between the randomized groups, a scale for openness to experience (ranging from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating more openness to experience) and the Technology Readiness Score (ranging from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating more technology readiness) are included as covariates in the ANCOVA model.
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Time to complete the baseline assessment
The maximum time (minutes and seconds) to complete the baseline assessment is set to 10 minutes. Therefore, times between 0 and 10 minutes can be measured.
Measured: up to 10 minutes
Time to complete the final assessment
The maximum time (minutes and seconds) to complete the final assessment is set to 10 minutes. Therefore, times between 0 and 10 minutes can be measured.
Measured: up to 10 minutes
Spearman correlation coefficients between the time taken and the participants learning progress
Spearman correlation coefficients between the time taken for the final assessment and the difference in the participant's modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the participant's baseline final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective final assessment score is calculated.
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Group difference in modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score points for each objective
Possible scores range from 1 to 4 points per objecitve, with higher scores indicating better performance.
Objectives are: applied knowledge of ultrasound equipment; image optimization; systematic examination; interpretation of images
Measured: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment score
Subjective confidence of participants in the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the context of transthoracic echocardiography after the training period
5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating greater confidence
(1: not confident; 2: rather not confident; 3: neither confident nor not confident; 4: confident; 5: very confident)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Group difference in cognitive load while performing the final assessment as opposed to the respective cognitive load at the baseline assessment
Global National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Task-Load-Index ranging from 0 to 100. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective score of the final assessment is calculated. Higher scores are indicating higher cognitive load.
Measured: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment
Group difference in cognitive load (per objective) while performing the final assessment as opposed to the respective cognitive load at the baseline assessment
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Task-Load-Index per objective, ranging from 0 to 100. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective score of the final assessment is calculated.
Objectives are: (mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, effort, frustration). Higher scores are indicating higher mental demand/higher physical demand/ higher temporal demand/worse performance/more effort/more frustration).
Measured: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment
Subjective desire for for more new digital tools in medical education before and after the training period
5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating more desire
(1: no desire; 2: rather not a desire; 3: neither a desire nor not a desire; 4: a desire; 5: a strong desire)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Frequency of playing video games for fun in the past 12 months before the study
5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency
(1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Frequency of playing video games for educational purposes in the past 12 months before the study
5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency
(1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Frequency of playing video games for fun between the ages of 6 and 18
5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency
(1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Frequency of playing video games for educational purposes between the ages of 6 and 18
5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency
(1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for fun in the past 12 months before the study and the learning progress
Spearman correlation between the frequency of playing video games, measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency (1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily) and the difference in the participants' modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the baseline and final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective final assessment score is calculated.
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for educational purposes in the past 12 months before the study and the difference in the learning progress
Spearman correlation between the frequency of playing video games, measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency (1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily) and the difference in the participants' modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the baseline and final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective final assessment score is calculated.
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for fun between the ages of 6 and 18 and the difference in the learning progress
Spearman correlation between the frequency of playing video games, measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency (1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily) and the difference in the participants' modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the baseline and final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective final assessment score is calculated.
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for educational purposes between the ages of 6 and 18 and the difference in the learning progress
Spearman correlation between the frequency of playing video games, measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency (1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily) and the difference in the participants' modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the baseline and final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective final assessment score is calculated.
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for fun in the past 12 months before the study and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period within the study
Spearman correlation between the frequency of playing video games, measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency (1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily) and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period of this study. This desire will be measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating more desire (1: no desire; 2: rather not a desire; 3: neither a desire nor a desire; 4: a desire; 5: a strong desire)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for educational purposes in the past 12 months before the study and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period within the study
Spearman correlation between the frequency of playing video games, measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency (1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily) and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period of this study. This desire will be measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating more desire (1: no desire; 2: rather not a desire; 3: neither a desire nor a desire; 4: a desire; 5: a strong desire)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for fun between the ages of 6 and 18 and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period within the study.
Spearman correlation between the frequency of playing video games, measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency (1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily) and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period of this study. This desire will be measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating more desire (1: no desire; 2: rather not a desire; 3: neither a desire nor a desire; 4: a desire; 5: a strong desire)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for educational purposes between the ages of 6 and 18 and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period within the study.
Spearman correlation between the frequency of playing video games, measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher frequency (1: never; 2: less than once a week; 3: once a week; 4: more than once a week; 5: daily) and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period of this study. This desire will be measured with a 5-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating more desire (1: no desire; 2: rather not a desire; 3: neither a desire nor a desire; 4: a desire; 5: a strong desire)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Subjective feeling of learning progress during the training period
5-point Likert Scale measuring the subjective feeling of learning progress with the digital training tool within the randomized group
(1: not helpful; 2: rather not helpful; 3: neither helpful nor not helpful; 4: rather helpful; very helpful)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Subjective level of frustration during the training period
5-point Likert Scale measuring the subjective feeling of frustration while using the digital training tool within the randomized group
(1: no frustration; 2: rather not frustrated; 3: neither frustrated nor not frustrated; 4: rather frustrated; 5: very frustrated)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Subjective level of enjoyment during the training period
5-point Likert Scale measuring the subjective feeling of frustration while using the digital training tool within the randomized group
(1: no enjoyment; 2: rather no enjoyment; 3: neither enjoyment nor no enjoyment; 4: rather an enjoyment; 5: strong enjoyment)
Measured: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 Oct 2023
- Study start3 Oct 2023
- Primary completion30 Jun 2024
- Study completion30 Jul 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for EchocardiographyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Medical University of ViennaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will attend a 90-minute workshop to learn the basics of point-of-care echocardiography. They will then be required to perform standardized transthoracic echocardiography before and after a two-week training period, which will be scored by blinded experts. During the training phase, one group will practice the hand-eye coordination required for echocardiography using an ultrasound simulator, while the second group will practice the same content using a serious video game. In addition, questionnaires will be used to collect additional data from the participants.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Medical University of Vienna
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Josef Michael Lintschinger, Medical University of Vienna
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06106178
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1289/2023
- Acronym
- SLOPE
- Status last verified
- May 2024
- First submitted
- 3 Apr 2023
- Last updated
- 11 Feb 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Lintschinger JM, Reischmann L, Klaus DA, Schaubmayr W, Kapral L, Dunst M, Kahlfuss F, Kaider A, Gerger G, Schaden E, Hafner C. A serious video game for teaching basic point-of-care echocardiography skills: a non-inferiority trial. BMC Med Educ. 2026 Mar 12;26(1):641. doi: 10.1186/s12909-026-08995-1.
PubMed 41814296
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Feb 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Novel Serious Game as an Alternative for Teaching Basic Point-of-Care Transthoracic Echocardiography Skills
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06106178
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SLOPE / 1289/2023
- Conditions
- Echocardiography, Education, Medical
- Keywords
- Echocardiography, Education, Medical, Anesthesiology, Critical Care
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Medical University of ViennaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 3 Oct 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jul 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 30 Oct 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare different digital learning methods for teaching basic skills in point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography to medical students.
The main question it aims to answer is:
- Is a novel digital learning tool, such as a serious video game, non-inferior to traditional ultrasound simulator teaching methods in the context of basic point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography skills training?
Participants will train basic point-of-care ultrasound skills using either a traditional basic ultrasound simulator course or the serious video game "Underwater". Both methods focus on training hand-eye coordination, which is particularly important in transthoracic echocardiography. To compare the performance of the participants, a baseline assessment will be performed before and a final assessment after the two-week training period.
Detailed description
Point-of-care ultrasound education follows non-standardized teaching and learning methods. In many cases, ultrasound is practiced directly on patients without proper training, or ultrasound simulators are used. However, these simulators are expensive to purchase and are not always readily available to students. In addition, there are a growing number of new digital tools, such as serious video games, that aim to deliver the same content in a more accessible and cost-effective manner. However, in the field of point-of-care echocardiography, there is still little scientific evidence to support their use.
This single-blind, prospective, randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial aims to demonstrate the non-inferiority of a serious video game compared to conventional simulator-based training of basic echocardiography skills to make ultrasound training more accessible to every trainee.
Only medical students who already have the necessary anatomical knowledge but no experience with ultrasound diagnostics will be recruited to participate in this study. Participants will attend a 90-minute workshop to learn the basics of point-of-care echocardiography. They will then be required to perform standardized transthoracic echocardiography before and after a two-week training period, which will be scored by blinded experts. During the training phase, one group will practice the hand-eye coordination required for echocardiography using an ultrasound simulator, while the second group will practice the same content using a serious video game. In addition, questionnaires will be used to collect additional data from the participants.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants will attend a 90-minute workshop to learn the basics of point-of-care echocardiography. They will then be required to perform standardized transthoracic echocardiography before and after a two-week training period, which will be scored by blinded experts. During the training phase, one group will practice the hand-eye coordination required for echocardiography using an ultrasound simulator, while the second group will practice the same content using a serious video game. In addition, questionnaires will be used to collect additional data from the participants.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Simulator for Basic Ultrasound Skills | Other | Other: Simulator for Basic Ultrasound SkillsBasic course of a traditional ultrasound simulator focusing on hand-eye coordination |
| Serious Video Game | Other | Other: Serious Video GameSerious video game "Underwater" that focuses on hand-eye coordination training using a 3D-printed ultrasound probe for maneuvering. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 110 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Medical student at the Medical University of Vienna (Medicine Degree Program)
- ≥18 years
- Basic knowledge of anatomy (completed Block 2 of the MUV curriculum)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Previous experience using an ultrasound device
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Simulator for Basic Ultrasound SkillsBasic course of a traditional ultrasound simulator focusing on hand-eye coordination | Other | Simulator for Basic Ultrasound Skills |
| Serious Video GameThe serious video game "Underwater" uses a 3D-printed ultrasound probe for maneuvering. During gameplay, coins must be collected in an underwater world using the aforementioned simulated ultrasound probe. The main focus of this game is to improve hand-eye coordination while using an ultrasound probe. | Other | Serious Video Game |
Primary outcome
Difference in the participants' modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the baseline and final assessment
Time frame: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment score
The primary outcome measure is the difference in the participant's modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the participants' baseline and final assessment. Possible assessment scores range from 4 to 20 points, with higher scores indicating better performance. Each participant's baseline assessment score is his or her individual baseline score, from which the difference to the respective final assessment score is calculated.
25 secondary outcomes
Gender differences in modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) scores between the baseline and final assessment
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Group effects on gender differences in modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) scores
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Time to complete the baseline assessment
Time frame: up to 10 minutes
Time to complete the final assessment
Time frame: up to 10 minutes
Spearman correlation coefficients between the time taken and the participants learning progress
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Group difference in modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score points for each objective
Time frame: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment score
Subjective confidence of participants in the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the context of transthoracic echocardiography after the training period
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Group difference in cognitive load while performing the final assessment as opposed to the respective cognitive load at the baseline assessment
Time frame: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment
Group difference in cognitive load (per objective) while performing the final assessment as opposed to the respective cognitive load at the baseline assessment
Time frame: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment
Subjective desire for for more new digital tools in medical education before and after the training period
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Frequency of playing video games for fun in the past 12 months before the study
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Frequency of playing video games for educational purposes in the past 12 months before the study
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Frequency of playing video games for fun between the ages of 6 and 18
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Frequency of playing video games for educational purposes between the ages of 6 and 18
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for fun in the past 12 months before the study and the learning progress
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for educational purposes in the past 12 months before the study and the difference in the learning progress
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for fun between the ages of 6 and 18 and the difference in the learning progress
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for educational purposes between the ages of 6 and 18 and the difference in the learning progress
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for fun in the past 12 months before the study and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period within the study
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for educational purposes in the past 12 months before the study and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period within the study
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for fun between the ages of 6 and 18 and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period within the study.
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Correlation between the frequency of playing video games for educational purposes between the ages of 6 and 18 and the desire for more digital tools in medical education before and after the training period within the study.
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Subjective feeling of learning progress during the training period
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Subjective level of frustration during the training period
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Subjective level of enjoyment during the training period
Time frame: evaluation within 3 weeks after study completion
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Feb 2025.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 41814296Lintschinger JM, Reischmann L, Klaus DA, Schaubmayr W, Kapral L, Dunst M, Kahlfuss F, Kaider A, Gerger G, Schaden E, Hafner C. A serious video game for teaching basic point-of-care echocardiography skills: a non-inferiority trial. BMC Med Educ. 2026 Mar 12;26(1):641. doi: 10.1186/s12909-026-08995-1.
- Serious Video Game "Underwater"Link provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Simulator for Basic Ultrasound Skills and Serious Video Game in people with Echocardiography and Education, Medical, run by Medical University of Vienna at 1 site in Austria.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Feb 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Austria. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Difference in the participants' modified Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skill (OSAUS) score between the baseline and final assessment (time frame: Two-week change from baseline to final assessment score). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06106178, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Feb 2025.