Training medical residents to use the Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) score for bedside volume assessment
Official title: Training Medical Residents in the Use of the Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) Score for Bedside Volume Assessment: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern · NCT07541768 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether in-person or remote training better teaches medical residents to use the VExUS ultrasound score for bedside volume checks in patients with acute heart failure.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 23 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Bern) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 20, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | April 21, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07541768 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are general internal medicine residents employed at Inselspital Bern who have basic POCUS skills (POCUS component 1 or ≥200 scans) and no prior abdominal/duplex certification.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients without acute heart failure or those cared for by clinicians who do not use bedside ultrasound are unlikely to derive direct benefit from this training intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This single-center randomized controlled trial at Inselspital Bern compares in-person versus remote VExUS training for general internal medicine residents who already have basic POCUS skills. Residents are randomized 1:1 to either training method and their performance is compared to expert physicians certified in abdominal and duplex sonography. The primary outcome is ultrasound image quality measured on a standardized 100-point score, and secondary outcomes include time to acquisition, VExUS scoring accuracy, learner self-confidence, and acceptability of the training methods. The trial excludes residents with advanced abdominal or duplex certification and enrolls only those working at the study site during the study period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the training could enable residents to perform faster and more accurate bedside volume assessments, supporting timelier and better-targeted fluid management for patients with acute heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: The VExUS method has been validated in prior research as a congestion assessment tool, and previous POCUS education studies show both in-person and remote formats can improve learner skills, though direct head-to-head comparisons for VExUS training are limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Medical residents in general internal medicine * Basic ultrasound skills (POCUS component 1 or ≥200 scans) * Working at study site during study period Exclusion Criteria: * SGUM certification in abdominal ultrasound * Advanced duplex ultrasound experience * Prior vascular/duplex training
Where it's running
-
Inselspital
Bern, Switzerland Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Caroline Rimensberger, MD
- Email: caroline.rimensberger@insel.ch
- Phone: 0041316322111
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.