Abstract: Objective Using our team's recent research achievement “the cervical ultrasound scanning route map” as a teaching tool, to evaluate its impact on the learning effectiveness and confidence of beginners in the process of learning cervical spinal ultrasonography. Methods This study is a before and after self-control study. After recruitment of 40 cervical ultrasound beginners, they had completed questionnaire 1. The questionnaire was designed with three self-assessment questions on theoretical knowledge of cervical spinal ultrasound, three self-assessment questions on practical skills of cervical spinal ultrasound and one question on willingness to use cervical spinal ultrasound in the future. After traditional teaching without involving the route map, beginners completed questionnaire 2 with the same content. After a 20 min break, teacher introduced and explained the route map to the beginners, then the beginners completed questionnaire 3. Questions related to satisfaction with this learning experience had been added to questionnaire 3. The answers to all questions were scored on a scale of 1-10. In this study, the main outcome was the comprehensive learning score, calculated as(sum score of theoretical knowledge + sum score of practical skills + score of willingness to use cervical ultrasound in the future)/7. Results Beginners'comprehensive learning score at the three time points were 2.9±1.3, 4.8±1.8, 5.7±1.8,F(2,22)=52.11,P＜0.001,partial Eta squared=0.83. After introducing the route map, their comprehensive learning score increased 1.0(95% CI:0.46-1.49)(P＜0.001) compared to scores after traditional training. Conclusions The route map may significantly improve learning effectiveness and confidence of beginners in the field of cervical spinal ultrasonography and can be used as a routine training tool in the teaching of cervical spinal ultrasonography.

Key words: pain, spine, ultrasound, cervical, teaching