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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of first-trimester pelvic sonography done by physicians after a 2-week emergency ultrasound elective to similarly numbered examinations done by physicians longitudinally over several years of residency training., Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of a previously reported prospective study of pelvic sonography for symptomatic first-trimester pregnancy. The 21st through 40th examinations were compared between those who completed an emergency ultrasound elective and those who did not. The reference standard was pelvic sonography done by the department of radiology., Results: Eighty-six examinations (34%) were done by 12 operators who did not participate in an emergency ultrasound elective, and 171 examinations (67%) were done by 13 operators who completed an emergency ultrasound elective. There was no statistical difference between the groups with regard to identifying an intrauterine pregnancy, molar pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, or adnexal mass., Conclusions: The accuracy of pelvic sonography for first-trimester pregnancy was comparable between physicians who participated in a 2-week emergency ultrasound elective and those who performed the same number of examinations over a longer period during residency training., (© 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to prospectively assess the learning curve of emergency physician training in emergency bedside sonography (EBS) for first-trimester pregnancy complications., Methods: This was a prospective study at an urban academic emergency department from August 1999 through July 2006. Patients with first-trimester vaginal bleeding or pain underwent EBS followed by pelvic sonography (PS) by the Department of Radiology. Results of EBS were compared with those of PS using a predesigned standardized data sheet., Results: A total of 670 patients underwent EBS for first-trimester pregnancy complications by 1 of 25 physicians who would go on to perform at least 25 examinations. The sensitivity and specificity of EBS for an intrauterine pregnancy increased from 80% (95% confidence interval [CI], 71%-87%) and 86% (95% CI, 76%-93%), respectively, for a physician's first 10 examinations to 100% (95% CI, 73%-100%) and 100% (95% CI, 63%-100%) for those performed after 40 examinations. Likewise, the sensitivity and specificity for an adnexal mass or ectopic pregnancy changed from 43% (95% CI, 28%-64%) and 94% (95% CI, 89%-97%) to 75% (95% CI, 22%-99%) and 89% (95% CI, 65%-98%), whereas the sensitivity and specificity for a molar pregnancy changed from 71% (95% CI, 30%-95%) and 98% (95% CI, 94%-99%) to 100% (95% CI, 20%-100%) and 100% (95% CI, 81%-100%). Although detection of an intrauterine or a molar pregnancy improved with training, even with experience including 40 examinations, the sensitivity of EBS for an adnexal mass or ectopic pregnancy was less than 90%., Conclusions: There is an appreciable learning curve among physicians learning to perform EBS for first-trimester pregnancy complications that persists past 40 examinations.