To investigate the effectiveness of a teaching model combining real-case bedside instruction with mixed-level group teaching in intestinal ultrasound training, and to provide reference forestablishing an efficient and practical training system for intestinal ultrasound.

Ultrasound physicians with junior- and intermediate professional titles who attended training at the Department of Ultrasound, Peking Union Medical College Hospital in March 2025 were enrolled. A mixed-level group teaching model was implemented under real clinical scenarios in teaching clinics, with on-site practical instruction covering case analysis, clarification of examination purposes, real-time image interpretation, and standardized report writing. Teaching effectiveness was evaluated through pre- and post-training theoretical tests (covering basic knowledge, image recognition, and disease-related knowledge), self-assessment of confidence in performing examinations, and feedback on teaching satisfaction.

A total of 12 trainees were enrolled, with a mean age of (35.2±3.8) years; 10 trainees (83.3%) were attending physicians and 2 (16.7%) were residents. The trainees' overall theoretical test scores improved significantly after training [(89.2±9.0) vs. (76.7±13.7), P=0.009]. Module-based analysis showed that the image recognition module score increased significantly [(51.7±5.8) vs. (45.0±5.2), P=0.001], with the score rate rising from (81.8±9.5)% to (93.9±10.5)%; scores in the basic knowledge module [(20.0±7.4) vs. (16.7±8.9), P=0.120] and disease-related knowledge module [(17.5±3.4) vs. (15.0±5.6), P=0.139] both showed upward trends, but the differences were not statistically significant. The median confidence score for independently performing examinations increased from 1.0 (1.0, 1.3) before training to 2.5 (2.0, 3.3) after training (P=0.002). Subgroup analysis revealed that trainees without prior training experience demonstrated significantly greater improvements in total scores [20.0 (15.0, 40.0) vs. 7.5 (1.3, 10.0), P=0.016] and image recognition module scores [10.0 (10.0, 13.8) vs. 5.0 (1.3, 8.8), P=0.020] compared to those with prior experience. Teaching satisfaction surveys indicated that the combined proportion of responses rated as "considerable help" and "extremely helpful" across all dimensions ranged from 83.3% to 91.7%.

The teaching model combining real-case bedside instruction with mixed-level group teaching significantly enhances trainees' image interpretation skills and clinical competence in intestinal ultrasound, effectively addresses the diverse learning needs of trainees at different baseline levels, and provides a reference for developing effective clinical training approaches in intestinal ultrasound practice.

To evaluate the application value of the Peyton four-step teaching method in the standardized training of intestinal ultrasound and compare it with traditional teaching methods, so as to provide an optimized approach for clinical ultrasound training.

Participants from the Department of Ultrasound at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between September 2024 and March 2025 were randomly assigned to either the traditional group or Peyton group. The traditional group followed the conventional "lecture- demonstration-practice" model, while the Peyton group implemented the standardized "demonstration-deconstruction-comprehension-execution" four-step approach. All training focused on standard intestinal ultrasound scanning techniques. After the training, the operational skills were independently evaluated by the instructors. To verify the reproducibility of the teaching method, the participants in traditional teaching group received additional Peyton method training after the initial assessment and underwent a second evaluation.

A total of 18 participants were included in this study, with 9 in the traditional teaching group and 9 in the Peyton teaching group. Participants in the Peyton group demonstrated significantly higher scores than those in the traditional group at every anatomical site assessed (all P < 0.05), including the terminal ileum[7.3(6.5, 8) vs. (3.1± 1.4)], ileocecal region[7(6, 8) vs. (3.7±1.3)], appendix[8(7, 8.3) vs. (5.3±0.8)], colon[7(6.5, 7.7)vs. 5.3(2.8, 5.3)] and small intestine[(7.3±0.5) vs. (3.7±1.2)]. The overall score was also significantly higher in the Peyton group [(7.2±0.9) vs.(3.7±1.0), P < 0.001]. After receiving supplemental Peyton method training, the traditional group showed significant improvement in all anatomical site scores, with the overall score increasing to[(7.5±0.4), P=0.008].

The Peyton four-step method is significantly more effective than traditional teaching in improving residents' intestinal ultrasound skills, demonstrating its suitability as the preferred approach for standardized training programs.