Evaluation of an extracurricular undergraduate ultrasound training program at a central European medical faculty

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly incorporated into medical training, yet structured undergraduate education remains limited in many European medical schools. We evaluated a four-session extracurricular ultrasound course using a mixed-methods design in 58 medical students. At course completion, students retrospectively self-assessed theoretical knowledge and practical skills on 0–10 scales, completed a 30-item course-specific theoretical knowledge test, and provided satisfaction ratings and qualitative feedback. Self-assessed theoretical knowledge increased from 3.34 ± 1.76 to 6.91 ± 1.26 and practical skills from 2.02 ± 1.58 to 6.95 ± 0.94 (both p < 0.001). The mean knowledge-test score was 24.64 ± 3.74/30 (82.1 ± 12.5%), with acceptable internal consistency (KR-20 = 0.775). Most students rated the course highly, and qualitative feedback emphasized clinical relevance, supervised hands-on learning, and support for broader curricular integration. This pilot evaluation suggests that extracurricular ultrasound training is feasible, well accepted, and associated with increases in retrospectively self-assessed theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Controlled studies using validated objective assessments are needed before conclusions regarding educational effectiveness, practical competence, and long-term skill retention can be drawn.