245 - Basic and Advanced Workshops in Echocardiography for Pediatric Residents in Mwanza, Tanzania

Publication Number: 1232.245

Kathryn R. Lucas, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Colin J. Crilly, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Angira Patel, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Amanda Hauck, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Julieth Nachone. Kabirigi, Bugando Medical Centre/Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Mwanza, Tanzania; Neema Passian. Chami, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Mwanza, Tanzania; Colleen Fant, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Jennifer Acevedo, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Shivani G. Patel, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States

Background: There is a longstanding bidirectional collaboration with a referral teaching institution in Mwanza, Tanzania, a region with a large burden of cardiac disease. Echocardiography capacity is limited with one pediatric cardiologist and echocardiograms performed by general pediatricians. Pediatric residents are the frontline cardiology providers and serve as sonographers, historically learning through practice without formal training.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of echocardiography workshops in improving comfort, knowledge, and skills in echocardiography among pediatric trainees at our partnership hospital.

Design/Methods: In September 2025, basic and advanced echocardiography workshops were facilitated in Mwanza for trainees based on their level of prior experience. Two months prior to the workshops, lectures on cardiac anatomy, echocardiography protocol, and ultrasound physics were delivered asynchronously to trainees. For five days, participants underwent a structured echocardiography workshop with didactics and hands-on practice with live models. The basic workshop focused on obtaining standard imaging planes (subcostal, parasternal long axis, parasternal short axis, apical, and suprasternal), while the advanced workshop focused on assessing ventricular and valvular function and identifying common cardiac pathologies. Participants were asked to complete comfort surveys, knowledge tests, skills assessments, and image interpretation tests pre- and post-workshop.

Results: In total, 26 physicians participated in the basic workshop, and 7 participated in the advanced workshop. Following the basic workshop, more participants reported being somewhat or very comfortable with understanding cardiac imaging and scanning planes (46% vs. 96%, n=24), and they demonstrated improved skill in image acquisition (mean 7.7 vs. 14.9 points out of 19, n=14), basic echocardiographic knowledge (mean 51% vs. 64%, n=24), and image interpretation (mean 62% vs. 76%, n=24) (Table 1). Advanced workshop participants also demonstrated improved skill in image acquisition (mean 13.0 vs. 15.7 points out of 19, n=6) and advanced echocardiographic knowledge (mean 51% vs. 71%, n=5) (Table 2).

Conclusion(s): Following a structured, easily replicable echocardiography workshop, pediatric trainees demonstrated improvements in comfort, knowledge, acquisition, and interpretation of echocardiographic images. Next steps include evaluating longitudinal retention of echocardiography knowledge and skills.

Table 1
Pre- and post-workshop results from basic workshop participants

Table 2
Pre- and post-workshop results from advanced workshop participants