Preceptors’ perceived barriers on physician assistant student use of point-of-care ultrasound on clinical rotations

Background: Inclusion of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) within medical education is increasing. A lack of clinical preceptors ready to teach POCUS to physician assistant (PA) students has been discovered. Understanding the barriers to student use of POCUS in clinical education will inform curricular planning.
Methods: Qualitative survey research was completed on 212 previously identified PA student preceptors. Descriptive statistics outlining frequencies of responses were completed.
Results: The most frequently identified barriers included lack of preceptor experience with POCUS (63.7%), lack of access to a device (47.6%), and lack of familiarity with POCUS (45.2%). Time and lack of experience with POCUS were more commonly identified by inpatient providers. Lack of clinical indications and device access were more frequent in outpatient preceptors.

Discussion: As programs incorporate POCUS, creating intentional opportunities for POCUS education on clinical rotations is needed. The differences in barriers based on practice type allow targeted intervention based on specific rotations.