Ventriloscope Simulation Stethoscope Training in PT and AT Students (VENTAS)

Conditions

• Auscultation Training
• Health Professions Education

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

18 Years - N/A

Healthy Volunteers

Accepted

Interventions

• Traditional Auscultation Training — BEHAVIORAL
  Approximately 90-minute faculty-led session delivered in a skills laboratory. Components include: (1) introduction and stethoscope device orientation; (2) didactic lecture on cardiac/pulmonary anatomy, sound generation; (3) peer cardiac auscultation practice at the four standard landmarks with standard stethoscopes; (4) peer pulmonary auscultation practice with standard stethoscopes; and (6) Q\&A and wrap-up
• Ventriloscope Simulation Training — BEHAVIORAL
  Approximately 90-minute faculty-led session delivered in the same skills laboratory by the same instructor(s) approximately two months after the traditional session. The Ventriloscope (Lecat's SimplySim, Canton, OH) pairs a standard-appearing stethoscope with a wireless transmitter; a trained faculty facilitator triggers pre-recorded pathologic sounds via remote when the student places the chest piece on a peer standardized patient. Components include: (1) device orientation; (2) three-step technique and troubleshooting instruction; (3) rotation through eight pre-programmed clinical case stations; (4) post-station faculty-facilitated debrief; and (5) Q\&A and wrap-up.

Study Details

This longitudinal, single-cohort, within-subjects study evaluates whether sequential exposure to Ventriloscope simulation stethoscope training, delivered after traditional auscultation instruction, enhances auscultation knowledge, clinical sound recognition skill, and self-reported confidence in Physical Therapy (PT) and Athletic Training (AT) students, and whether any enhancement is retained two months after training. All participating students receive both training modalities in sequence. Knowledge, skill, and confidence are measured at five timepoints (T1-T5) across approximately five months. A qualitative component examines student perceptions of the two training modalities.

Key Dates

Start date

May 11, 2026

Status verified

Apr 2026

Primary completion

Sep 30, 2026

Completion

Oct 19, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment

60 participants (estimated)

Allocation

NA

Intervention model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary purpose

OTHER

Arms

• Experimental: Sequential Traditional+Ventriloscope Training
  A single cohort of PT and AT students receives traditional auscultation training in summer, followed by Ventriloscope simulation stethoscope training approximately two months later. All participants receive both interventions. Assessments occur at T1 (pre-traditional), T2 (post-traditional), T3 (pre-Ventriloscope / 2-month retention), T4 (post-Ventriloscope), and T5 (2-month follow-up).

Primary Outcome Measure

Auscultaqtion Knowledge Score [ Time Frame: Measured at T1 (baseline, Week 0), T2 (immediately post-traditional, Week 0), T3 (~Week 8, pre-Ventriloscope retention check), T4 (immediately post-Ventriloscope, ~Week 8), and T5 (~Week 16, 2-month follow-up) ]

Central Contacts

• Edmund Ickert, PT, DPT, PhD
  330-941-1326
  [email protected]
• Morgan Bagley, PhD, AT, ATC
  330-941-3650
  [email protected]

Locations (1)

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