Zedu Weekly Wrap - 20 March 2026

Distraction is a learning killer…

was the theme of this week’s ‘Article of the Week’. Recent evidence from Storck et al. (2025) caught our attention, confirming what many educators have long suspected: distraction doesn’t just slow down learning it completely blocks it. The study found that even high-quality instructional cues, like expert gaze overlays, fail to translate into skill when a learner is interrupted.

In the high-stakes world of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), where selective attention is required to identify subtle anatomical markers, “clinical noise” like phone notifications and EMR alerts can lead to a total cognitive shutdown. This creates a dangerous “illusion of learning” where students feel they are progressing but fail to retain core competencies.

At Zedu, we intentionally design our courses to combat “load interference.” By getting you away from the chaotic workplace and into a dedicated, “notification-blackout” environment, we ensure your working memory is reserved for one thing: mastering the probe. We emphasise “technology hygiene,” encouraging learners to silence the digital noise and commit to specific, distraction-free learning objectives. We believe that protecting your mental focus is just as important as the scanning itself.

We want to hear from you: How do you maintain a “focus mode” in your own practice or teaching? Do you have a strict “phones away” rule, or strategies for managing digital alerts during a scan? Let us know!

Highlights in the news feeds to check out:

For those of you in our rehab and pain medicine communities, a piece in Disability and Rehabilitation on ‘Ultrasound image guided injection of botulinum toxin for the management of spasticity: an implementation case study for practice recommendations and a governance framework’ (18 March)
As always, a gem of a podcast from Michael Prats – “POCUS for difficult airway prediction” (17 March).

Signing off for the week.

Keep your probes clean and the gel warm.

Mike and Suean

20 March

New in @ESC_Journals #EHJDigitalHealth: A cardiovascular biological age from focused cardiac #POCUS identifies accelerated agers and is strongly linked to adverse metabolic profiles (including >2× odds of metabolic syndrome). Read the full paper: https://t.co/YArQGNev58 pic.twitter.com/1l7i1VhIbx

— Elad Maor (@maor_elad) March 19, 2026

MDPI Life

Clinical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Cardiovascular Imaging: Where Do We Stand?

Radiology Case Reports

Complicated renal angiomyolipoma with renal vein fat embolism mimicking lipid-rich renal cell carcinoma: A case report

Annals of EM

Ocular Ultrasound of a Young Man With Vision Loss

Annals of EM

“Comet Tail” Artifacts in the Gastric Wall

Make 2026 your year of ultrasound and check out our range of
scheduled and one-on-one options that will get you scanning like a pro.
If you know the value of protected learning time, secure your place early.

P.S. – don’t forget – if something doesn’t quite fit your learning objectives or availability we can design and deliver a program that meets your needs. Don’t tell everyone though – availability is limited.

19 March

Distraction kills learning! 🚫
2025 study: Alerts stop skill gain in #ultrasound🧠

We need “focus-mode” scan labs. 📵

Calling all educators: How do you block digital noise? Share your tips! 👇 https://t.co/0qM9u2VW6Z #MedEd #ultrasoundtraining #pocus pic.twitter.com/e7Iz0qItTT

— Zedu Ultrasound Training (@zedunow) March 19, 2026

Life

The Role of Prenatal Neurosonography in Identification of Tubulinopathy—Narrative Review

18 March

AI is turning #ultrasound into portable expertise. 🩺
AI-guided imaging can support non-specialists, detect anatomy despite poor scans, and expand care beyond hospitals.
Read more: https://t.co/LYWTjMnJ8V
Can decentralised imaging transform healthcare access?@WHO #POCUS pic.twitter.com/RsTiBqtXRv

— HealthManagement.org (@ehealthmgmt) March 17, 2026

Disability and Rehabilitation

Ultrasound image guided injection of botulinum toxin for the management of spasticity: an implementation case study for practice recommendations and a governance framework

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Echocardiographic Assessment of Right Ventricular–Pulmonary Arterial Coupling in Heart Failure: Prognostic Insights from a Systematic Review

CASE

The Sounds of Echo: The Hunt for Red Murmurs

17 March

US GEL PODCAST #180!

Difficult Airway Prediction #POCUS #FOAMed #USGEL https://t.co/WGsFHT24CH pic.twitter.com/j2nzK6wMD3

— Michael I. Prats (@PratsEM) March 16, 2026

A&A Practice

Comparing Black Coffee to Coffee With Creamer in Gastric Emptying Time: A Nonrandomized Control Trial