Teaching Obstetric Ultrasound to Medical Students

Abstract

Lack of adequate health care facilities, personnel, and diagnostic tools remains a major barrier to health care delivery in the rural of Thailand. This situation contributes as the major causes of maternal mortality and perinatal mortality. The Ministry of Public Health is focusing on the introduction of appropriate and cost-effective technology to improve clinical outcomes. Ultrasonography is a helpful tool to improve obstetric care in rural area by improving accuracy of diagnosis. Ultrasound machine is now used on a daily basis in the obstetric and gynecology clinic even in the rural hospital. However, most physicians in the rural hospital do not use obstetric ultrasound in their practice because of their lack of understanding and training. Ultrasonography training is now endorsed in medical curriculum of Obstetrics and Gynecology in many medical school. The benefit and risk of teaching obstetric ultrasound are shown in Table 1