A retrospective analysis of abdominal competency scores to improve clinical education in a sonography program

Classroom examinations and a passing score on a sonography certification examination are means to assess a student's retention of material presented during didactic education and further studying. Typically, however, clinical competencies are graded based on actual observation of scanning skills and the ability to identify specific organs and associated abnormalities. We are reporting an analysis of the data collected from students' completed abdominal competency evaluations over the past four years to determine what organ was the easiest to learn to scan, what organ was the most difficult to learn to scan, and in what organ(s) was pathology most often recognized or missed.