Ultrasound Curriculum Research Articles

Design and Validation of a Peer-Teacher-Based Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Curriculum

To design and validate a peer-teacher based musculoskeletal ultrasound curriculum for radiology residents. A musculoskeletal ultrasound curriculum with hands-on scanning workshops was designed for radiology residents. Prior to the workshops, several residents received 3 hours of hands-on training in ultrasound scanning technique which was overseen by an attending musculoskeletal radiologist; these "peer teachers" then led small-group hands-on scanning during the workshops. Participants performed diagnostic ultrasound examinations at the conclusion of the workshops to assess skill acquisition and 2 months following the workshops to quantify skill retention. Participants also completed surveys to determine confidence in performing musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations. Median scores and interquartile range (25-75%) were calculated, and t test was used to compare results. Thirty seven residents from all years of training and six senior resident or fellow peer teachers participated in four workshops. Diagnostic ultrasound images were obtained in 100% at the conclusion of the workshop and in 79% 2 months later. Prior to the workshops, residents reported low level of musculoskeletal ultrasound knowledge (median 2, interquartile ranges 1-2), and low confidence in performing (1, 1-2) and interpreting (1, 1-2) musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations. There was a significant increase in knowledge (3, 3-4) and confidence performing (3, 3-4) and interpreting (3, 3-4) studies following the workshops (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Hands-on musculoskeletal ultrasound workshops, utilizing a peer teacher led small group format is an effective method of teaching scanning skills to residents. There was excellent skill acquisition, good skill retention, and significant increase in confidence performing and interpreting these studies following completion of the curriculum.

Evaluation of Obstetrics & Gynecology Ultrasound Curriculum and Self-Reported Competency of Final-Year Canadian Residents.

Ultrasonography in obstetrics and gynaecology (OB/GYN) is a vital component of patient assessment, diagnosis, and management. Standards for Canadian obstetrician-gynecologists' ultrasound skills are limited and vague. The primary objective was to audit the current curriculum administered to Canadian OB/GYN residents. The secondary objective was to understand self-perceived competency of final-year residents in performing OB/GYN ultrasound. We also sought to identify perceived barriers to incorporation of ultrasound into practice. A cross-sectional questionnaire, distributed to two cohorts of final-year Canadian OB/GYN residents, asked about ultrasound training they received and their perceived competency with respect to specific ultrasound skills. Respondents also answered questions on possible perceived obstacles to independently using ultrasound after graduation. All Canadian residency programs were represented among the 81 respondents out of the possible 167 participants (49%). Ultrasound training varied in its delivery and quantity. The majority of training time was dedicated to obstetrics, with minimal focus on gynaecology. Self-reported competency for obstetric ultrasound was high, whereas that for gynaecologic ultrasound was variable. The main barrier to incorporating ultrasound into future practice was lack of adequate training. Canadian OB/GYN programs lack standardisation of ultrasound training. The imbalance in training between OB/GYN ultrasound may influence the low levels of self-reported competency in gynaecologic skills in residents. Standardization of ultrasound education and increasing gynaecologic ultrasound training in residency are the necessary first steps in preparing OB/GYN graduates to use ultrasound.

The Use of Ultrasound Simulators to Strengthen Scanning Skills in Medical Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study evaluates the use of ultrasound simulators for retaining and improving ultrasound skills acquired in undergraduate ultrasound training. Fourth-year medical students (n = 19) with prior training in point-of-care sonography for shock assessment were recruited for this study. Students were randomly assigned to a study group (n = 10) that followed an undergraduate ultrasound training curriculum, then used a simulator to complete 2 self-directed practice ultrasound sessions over 4 weeks. The control group (n = 9) followed the same undergraduate ultrasound training curriculum and received no additional access to a simulator or ultrasound training. A blinded assessment of the students was performed before and after the 4-week study period to evaluate their image acquisition skills on standardized patients (practical examination). To evaluate the student's clinical understanding of pathological ultrasound images, students watched short videos of prerecorded ultrasound scans and were asked to complete a 22-point questionnaire to identify their findings (visual examination). All results were adjusted to pretest performance. The students in the study group performed better than those in the control group on the visual examination (80.1% versus 58.9%; P = .003) and on the practical examination (77.7% versus 57.0%; P = .105) after the 4-week study period. The score difference on the postintervention practical examinations was significantly better for the study group compared to the control group (11.6% versus -9.9%; P = .0007). The use of ultrasound simulators may be a useful tool to help previously trained medical students retain and improve point-of-care ultrasound skills and knowledge.

The implementation of a longitudinal POCUS curriculum for physicians working at rural outpatient clinics in Chiapas, Mexico

BackgroundMedical care in resource limited settings is challenging, particularly with limited access to diagnostic and imaging studies. The most portable and cost effective diagnostic imaging in these areas is ultrasound. Ultrasound is a very teachable skill with a short, single intensive training course and hands-on teaching; however, there are limited data on a longitudinal point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) curriculum in resource limited settings. The goal of this intervention is to develop an effective longitudinal POCUS curriculum for local physicians working in rural clinics in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, and evaluate its effectiveness on patient care.MethodsThis is a 12-month longitudinal ultrasound educational curriculum for local supervising physicians working in rural clinics in Chiapas, Mexico. The 10 clinics are a collaboration of the Mexican government and Compañeros En Salud with limited access to any diagnostic imaging or laboratory studies. The investigators assisted in obtaining four portable ultrasound machines for use in the clinics. Next, they organized four point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) teaching sessions over a year, each session focusing on several distinct concepts. The sessions included lectures and hands-on teaching with both healthy volunteers and with patients in the various communities. Over the 12 months, the POCUS were logged and the majority of images saved. The logs were analyzed to determine if POCUS affected the medical management of the patients. The primary investigator reviewed 35.2% of the total ultrasounds completed, which was 52.2% of the save images, for quality assurance and feedback.ResultsOver the 12 months, there were 584 ultrasound studies documented. The most common study was a transabdominal obstetric examination (45.5%) followed by abdomen/pelvis (26.6%) and musculoskeletal (5.7%) and skin and soft tissue (5.7%). The use of POCUS changed the patient diagnosis after 194 scans (34%) and changed the clinical management for the patient encounter in 171 (30%) scans. In the 194 scans in which POCUS changed the diagnosis, the clinical management was changed, as a direct result of the scan results, in 152 (78.4%) of those patient encounters.ConclusionA longitudinal POCUS educational curriculum is an effective way to equip local physicians in resource limited countries with a tool to improve their clinical management of patients.

Interventions to Increase Point-of-Care Ultrasound Use in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

We sought to determine which interventions have effectively increased point-of-care ultrasound (US) use in a pediatric emergency department (ED). We evaluated the impact of specific interventions conducted over a 5-year period (2010-2015) on point-of-care US performance in a tertiary care pediatric ED. Ultrasound use by attending physicians and fellows was ascertained from a departmental database. Interventions assessed included the following: (1) initiation of an US fellowship, (2) acquisition of a second US machine, (3) performance of an US-related research project in the department, (4) initiation of faculty US curriculum, (5) earlier introduction of US education for pediatric emergency medicine fellows, and (6) administrative mandate dictating faculty requirements for credentialing. Mean monthly US use was trended over time using statistical process control methodology, and the impact of major interventions was analyzed using interrupted time-series analyses. The mean number of US scans increased from 2.0 to 5.9 per attending per month and from 4.3 to 7.1 per fellow per month over the study period. Using interrupted time-series analyses, we observed the only intervention to significantly increase attending US utilization was an administrative credentialing mandate, with an associated increase of 6% per month (incidence rate ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.11). Point-of-care US use has increased over time for both fellows and attending physicians. We observed that an administrative mandate led to a significant increase in US use among attending physicians.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Needs Assessment, Curriculum Design, and Curriculum Assessment in a Large Academic Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Internal medicine (IM) residency point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) curricula are being developed but often are limited in scope or components. In this article, we discuss the demonstration of a need for POCUS training in our large academic IM residency program; the development of a longitudinal curriculum; and the impact of the curriculum on POCUS knowledge, use, and confidence. In 2014, we designed a cross-sectional POCUS survey and knowledge test for all IM residents at the University of California, San Francisco. The results of this assessment drove the design of a longitudinal POCUS curriculum that included a 2-hour workshop for all IM interns and a 1-month elective offered to all IM residents. Residents were tested on their POCUS knowledge and image interpretation before the elective and were given the same test 6 months after the elective. The posttest included a survey of self-reported POCUS use and confidence. In the needs assessment, residents scored a mean of 27% on the knowledge test, and across all applications the percentage of residents reporting confidence in their POCUS skills was lower than the percentage reporting use of the application in clinical practice. Residents scored a mean of 37% on the elective pretest and 74% on the posttest, an increase of 37% (95% confidence interval 31.6-42.8, P < 0.001), with improvements seen across all applications. After the elective, self-reported use of POCUS and confidence in POCUS skills were increased for the applications, using the needs assessment as an approximate baseline. For core cardiac and pulmonary applications, 76% to 95% of residents, depending on application, reported "high" or "very high" use and 79% to 100% reported "high" or "very high" confidence in their POCUS skills. We used a needs assessment to guide the development of a longitudinal, multidisciplinary POCUS curriculum. Residents who completed all components showed substantial long-term gains in knowledge in all major applications and high use of and confidence in cardiac and pulmonary applications.

Curriculum mapping for Focused Acute Medicine Ultrasound (FAMUS)

Dear sir/madam, Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in the hands of the non-radiologist has seen a steady growth in popularity amongst emergency, intensive care and acute medical physicians. Increased accessibility to portable, purpose-built ultrasound machines has meant that clinicians often have access to a safe and non-invasive tool to enhance their management of the unwell. Focused Acute Medicine Ultrasound (FAMUS) is the point of care ultrasound curriculum created to aid the management of the acutely unwell adult patient. Following a survey of trainees and consultants, it was apparent that there was a strong desire for Acute Medics to be able to use point of care ultrasound to aid their clinical diagnostic skills. The FAMUS committee was set up to develop competencies using the evidence base available. FAMUS stands in contrast to traditional radiology training modules, which focus on carrying out comprehensive assessments of anatomy and pathology. Instead, FAMUS delivers a syndrome-based sonographic assessment with the aim of ruling out gross pathology and interrogating underlying physiology. It serves as a useful adjunct to history and clinical examination by way of providing key information quickly and non-invasively. Furthermore, it provides a feasible way to monitor response to treatment or progression of disease and thereby providing useful dynamic information quickly and safely. The accreditation in FAMUS involves the sonographic assessment of three systems: lung, abdomen and the deep veins of the lower-limb. Accrediting in each one involves theoretical learning, a formal course attendance and achieving a set number of supervised and mentored scans. As well as technical skills, the candidate must demonstrate competence in recognising key pathology and drawing appropriate conclusions about each scan, including when to refer for departmental imaging. FAMUS was met with enthusiasm by trainees and consultants in acute medicine, and its popularity rises as more courses are becoming available for accreditation paired with increasing access to portable ultrasound units. It is envisioned that this will continue to grow and formal ‘train the trainer’ courses have been held in order to increase the pool of available supervisors. Currently, FAMUS is endorsed by the Society for Acute Medicine and recognised by the AIM training committee as a specialist skill that can be undertaken during specialist training. It has been proposed that FAMUS should be considered for integration into the acute internal medicine (AIM) curriculum, which will be re-written for 2022 in line with the GMC’s revised standards for curriculum and assessment. Thus we present in this letter, a curriculum mapping exercise that utilises a ‘knowledge, skills, behaviours’ framework in order to be considered for the AIM curriculum rewrite. We believe this will provide a standard and framework to integrate focused ultrasound in AIM training programmes with the aim of ultimately incorporating FAMUS as a core skill for all AIM trainees.

Longitudinal Ultrasound Curriculum Incorporation at West Virginia University School of Medicine: A Description and Graduating Students' Perceptions.

Sonography is a clinical tool being incorporated in multiple medical specialties with evidence of improved patient care and cost. Some schools have begun implementing ultrasound curricula. We hope to build upon that foundation and provide another potential framework of incorporation. There are several barriers, including curricular space, equipment and physical space, adequate faculty, and performing assessment. At West Virginia University, we began a longitudinal ultrasound curriculum in 2012 with incorporation of didactic and practical sessions into gross anatomy, our systems-based second-year curriculum, physical diagnosis course, and clinical rotations. We included both written and practical assessment from the onset. After the initial 4 years, the first graduates were surveyed on their perceptions of the curriculum. Responses were correlated with specialty choice and clinical campus site. Based on our survey (90% response rate), students felt sonography was useful for anatomical understanding and patient care. Overall, 93% of our respondents reviewed the curriculum favorably. Qualitative feedback was very positive, with students desiring more ultrasound education and more required components, specifically in clinical rotations. Based on these results, some changes have already been implemented, including decreased student-to-instructor ratios, more open scan time, and more required components. The breadth of formal assessment has increased. Multiple pilot programs for clinical rotations are being developed. There is an ongoing need for faculty development and continued assessment of ultrasound competency.

P091: Emergency Critical Care Ultrasound (ECCU) paramedical course: a novel curriculum for training paramedics in ultrasound

Introduction: Ultrasonography (US), performed in the Emergency Department (ED) by Emergency Physicians, is well established. Educational studies have shown some promise in training paramedics in US use. We have developed and piloted a novel curriculum for paramedic US education. Methods: Based on an informal needs assessment, an US curriculum for paramedics was developed to include: Basic principles, Focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST), cardiac, and vascular access. Participants included ED-based and pre-hospital paramedics including all paramedics with critical care training who routinely perform vascular access and procedural sedation within our ED. Comparisons were made using paired non-parametric tests (GraphPad). Results: Participants (N=9) were provided pre- reading materials prior to completing a 6-hour course, consisting of a mix of didactic and practical sessions with live models and vascular access phantoms. Each module was introduced with a 30 minute didactic session, led by an Emergency Physician trained in US, followed immediately by a 1 hour hands-on session lead by either an Emergency Physician or an Emergency Medicine Resident at a learner to instructor ratio of 3:1. At the end of the course, participants were asked to complete a short 10 minute survey that included (1) an assessment of the course quality with regard to preparatory material and course content/delivery (4 point Likert scale; excellent, good, fair, poor); (2) self reported US knowledge pre and post course on a scale of 1-10 (10 high, 1 low); (3) general yes/no questions related to the future of ECCU paramedical and (4) a subjective written section for additional comments. All participants rated the content favourably: 97% scoring it as excellent, and 3% as good. The participants median self-reported US knowledge score increased from 2/10 (IQR 2-3) to 8/10 (IQR 7.25-8; p=0.009) post- course. All comments from the text field were positive in nature. Conclusion: We report a paramedic US course curriculum, which when piloted resulted in high learner satisfaction and a high rate of self reported improvement in US knowledge. Further study will include an assessment of knowledge acquisition and practical performance. Future modifications in our curriculum will be based on needs assessment and may include additional modules.

Solid, Cystic, and Tubular: Novice Ultrasound Skills Training Using a Versatile, Affordable Practice Model

In spite of the recognized benefits of ultrasound, many physicians have little experience with using ultrasound to perform procedures. Many medical schools and residency programs lack a formal ultrasound training curriculum. We describe an affordable ultrasound training curriculum and versatile, inexpensive practice model. Participants underwent a didactic session to teach the theory required to perform ultrasound-guided procedures. Motor skills were taught using a practice model incorporating analogs of common anatomic and pathologic structures into an opacified gelatin substrate. The Marcia and Eugene Applebaum Simulation Learning Institute, Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI; a private nonprofit tertiary care hospital associated with the OUWB School of Medicine, Rochester, MI. The model was tested in a cohort of 50 medical students and general surgery residents. The gelatin model can be constructed for $1.03 per learner. The solid, cystic, and vascular structural analogs were readily identifiable on ultrasound and easily differentiated based on their echotextures. Eighty-four percent of participants successfully aspirated the cystic structure, 88% successfully biopsied a portion of the solid structure, and 76% successfully cannulated the tubular structure. Overall, 82% of participants achieved a passing score for the exercise based on a validated Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill instrument. There were no significant differences between the medical students and residents. This model can be used to teach basic ultrasound skills such as aspiration, biopsy, and vessel cannulation, providing a foundation for the use of ultrasound in a broad range of clinical procedures, as well as providing practice opportunities for medical students and residents to gain increased ultrasound competency and confidence.

Effectiveness of an Early Ultrasound Training Curriculum for General Surgery Residents.

Ultrasound (US) is fast becoming an extension of the physical examination in most surgical settings. Unfortunately, few residency programs offer a formal US training curriculum to their general surgical residents. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a formal US training module for general surgery residents. We studied the degree of improvement observed between junior and senior residents. A training-based study was conducted to evaluate baseline knowledge and skills. Subsequently, a formal didactic and practical training program for our surgery residents was instituted. Residents were then scored in various categories. A total of 18 surgical residents comprising 10 junior and 8 senior residents completed our US training module. There was no significant improvement in the scores of the senior resident group. In the junior group, the written test, image detection, optimization, and interpretation categories improved significantly after completion of the training module. Comparison of improvement in scores between junior and senior residents revealed a significantly better improvement in the junior group than in the senior group. Early training of surgical residents can significantly improve US performance in junior residents. This early training has the benefit of increased utilization of bedside US for diagnostic and procedural purposes. Interestingly, even without formal training, skill acquisition of senior residents is noted to occur during modern surgical training.

MP14-20 CREATING AND EVALUATING AN ULTRASOUND TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR UROLOGY RESIDENTS

You have accessJournal of UrologyImaging/Radiology: Uroradiology I1 Apr 2018MP14-20 CREATING AND EVALUATING AN ULTRASOUND TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR UROLOGY RESIDENTS Joseph Wan and Geoffrey Box Joseph WanJoseph Wan More articles by this author and Geoffrey BoxGeoffrey Box More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2018.02.513AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES As experts in the genitourinary system, imaging of this anatomy and pathology is inherent to the daily patient care of every practicing urologist. Despite this, there are no standardized educational requirements or tests for demonstrating ultrasound competency during urology residency program training. Our study evaluated the quality improvement of urology residents performing ultrasonography following a 3-hour genitourinary focused ultrasound course. METHODS A 3-hour ultrasound curriculum was administered to residents within our program. The curriculum was based on a published model for teaching and performing focused ultrasound called I-AIM, and created by physicians with expertise in performing and teaching genitourinary ultrasound. It included a 1-hour lecture with slides and a syllabus covering the physics of ultrasound, renal and bladder imaging, and genitourinary pathology. Additionally, each resident received 2 hours of hands-on ultrasound instruction using live models and proctored by physician experts including a registered diagnostic medical sonographer. Participants were asked to perform selected ultrasound studies both prior to and after taking part in the curriculum. These images included bladder and bilateral renal scans on a standardized patient. The results were saved and then scored using the Brightness Mode Quality Ultrasound Imaging Examination Technique (B-QUIET), a standardized tool to quantify the quality of ultrasound images. RESULTS A total of 9 urology residents underwent standardized training and testing, providing a total of 41 pre and post intervention images. The mean ± SD pre-intervention B-QUIET image score was 23.8 ± 5.0 (59.6% of a maximum score of 40). The mean ± SD post-intervention image score was 32.1 ± 3.2 (80.3% of a maximum score of 40) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our study shows urology residents can make significant improvement in their ability to obtain a high quality focused ultrasound with a 3-hour ultrasound curriculum that includes teaching and hands-on didactics. © 2018FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 199Issue 4SApril 2018Page: e188 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2018MetricsAuthor Information Joseph Wan More articles by this author Geoffrey Box More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

‘An overview of the first year Undergraduate Medical Students Feedback on the Point of Care Ultrasound Curriculum’

With the technological progress of different types of portable Ultrasound machines, there is a growing demand by all health care providers to perform bedside Ultrasonography, also known as Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS). This technique is becoming extremely useful as part of the Clinical Skills/Anatomy teaching in the undergraduate Medical School Curriculum.Teaching/training health care providers how to use these portable Ultrasound machines can complement their physical examination findings and help in a more accurate diagnosis, which leads to a faster and better improvement in patient outcomes. In addition, using portable Ultrasound machines can add more safety measurements to every therapeutic/diagnostic procedure when it is done under an Ultrasound guide. It is also considered as an extra tool in teaching Clinical Anatomy to Medical students. Using an Ultrasound is one of the different imaging modalities that health care providers depend on to reach their diagnosis, while also being the least invasive method.We thought investing in training the undergraduate Medical students on the basic Ultrasound scanning skills as part of their first year curriculum will help build up the foundation for their future career.The research we report in this manuscript is a preliminary qualitative study. And provides the template for future model for teaching a hand on Ultrasound for all health care providers in different learning institutions.A questionnaire was handed to the first year medical students to evaluate their hands on ultrasound session experience. Answers were collected and data was analyzed into multiple graphs.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Development and Evaluation of a Longitudinal Integrated Ultrasound Curriculum for Third Year Medical Students

An overview of the development and implementation of a novel, longitudinal point-of-care ultrasound&#x0D; curriculum implemented for third-year, allopathic medical students at a branch campus is presented. A model&#x0D; employing didactic and hand-on ultrasound education was incorporated into the newly established&#x0D; longitudinal MS-3 curriculum. The ultrasound curriculum was developed in conjunction with student didactics&#x0D; and simulation sessions in a theme-based approach.

The CAEP Emergency Ultrasound Curriculum – Objectives and Recommendations for Implementation in Postgraduate Training: Executive Summary

The CAEP Emergency Ultrasound Curriculum – Objectives and Recommendations for Implementation in Postgraduate Training: Executive Summary

The integration of transabdominal ultrasound simulators into an ultrasound curriculum.

Simulation is increasingly used throughout medicine. Within ultrasound, simulators are more established for learning transvaginal and interventional procedures. The use of modern high-fidelity transabdominal simulators is increasing, particularly in centres with large trainee numbers. There is no current literature on the value of these simulators in gaining competence in abdominal ultrasound. The aim was to investigate the impact of a new ultrasound curriculum, incorporating transabdominal simulators into the first year of training in a UK radiology academy. The simulator group included 13 trainees. The preceding cohort of 15 trainees was the control group. After 10 months, a clinical assessment was performed to assess whether the new curriculum resulted in improved ultrasound skills. Questionnaires were designed to explore the acceptability of simulation training and whether it had any impact on confidence levels. Trainees who had received simulator-enriched training scored higher in an objective clinical ultrasound assessment, which was statistically significant (p = 0.0463). End confidence scores for obtaining diagnostic images and demonstrating pathology were also higher in the simulation group. All trainees stated that transabdominal simulator training was useful in early training. This initial study shows that embedded into a curriculum, transabdominal ultrasound simulators are an acceptable training method that can result in improved ultrasound skills and higher confidence levels. Using simulators early in training could allow trainees to master the basics, improve their confidence, enabling them to get more educational value from clinical ultrasound experience while reducing the impact of training on service provision.

Implementation of a Progressive Three-Year Point of Care Ultrasound Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents

Background&#x0D; Point-of-Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) is an ultrasound examination performed by the clinician to answer a focused question or guide an invasive procedure. Despite gaining popularity and evidence supporting the use of PoCUS, core Internal Medicine (IM) residency programs in Canada have yet to implement a comprehensive PoCUS curriculum. The objective of this study was to create a formal PoCUS curriculum.&#x0D; Methods&#x0D; We conducted a systematic needs assessment with a survey that assessed IM attending and resident comfort, training, and application of PoCUS. We also performed a literature review of selected PoCUS-guided procedures and diagnostics to assess the evidence. A working group analyzed the collected data and designed a graduated 3-year curriculum.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; The needs assessment demonstrated that PoCUS education was both necessary and in high demand. The PoCUS-guided procedures and diagnostics that were identified by the survey to be necessary for IM training were then evaluated by a literature review. Based on the evidence, a progressive 3-year curriculum was created. The working group decided on the method and timing of curriculum delivery.&#x0D; Conclusion&#x0D; McMaster University is the first IM residency program to introduce a graduated 3-year curriculum complete with competency assessment and quality assurance.&#x0D; Résumé&#x0D; Contexte&#x0D; L'échographie ponctuelle est un examen d'échographie effectué par le clinicien pour répondre à une question ciblée ou guider une procédure invasive. Malgré l'obtention de la popularité et des preuves appuyant l'utilisation de la messagerie instantanée, les programmes de résidence au Canada pour la médecine interne de base (GI) n'ont pas encore mis en œuvre un programme exhaustif. L'objectif de cette étude était de créer un programme d'études officiel.&#x0D; Méthodes &#x0D; Nous avons effectué une évaluation systématique des besoins avec un sondage qui évaluait la présence de GI et le confort des résidents, la formation et l'application de ces programmes. Nous avons également effectué un examen de la documentation de certaines procédures et diagnostics guidés pour évaluer la preuve. Un groupe de travail a analysé les données collectées et conçu un programme gradué de trois ans.&#x0D; Résultats&#x0D; L'évaluation des besoins a démontré que l'éducation était à la fois nécessaire et trèsdemandée. Les procédures et les diagnostics qui ont été identifiés par le sondage comme étant nécessaires à la formation en GI ont ensuite été évalués par un examen de la documentation. Sur la base des données probantes, un programme d'études progressive de trois ans a été créé. Le groupe de travail a décidé de la méthode et ducalendrier de l'exécution des programmes.&#x0D; Conclusion &#x0D; L'Université McMaster est le premier programme de résidence en GI à présenter un programme gradué de trois ans complété par l'évaluation des compétences et l'assurance de la qualité.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

The development of a pragmatic, clinically driven ultrasound curriculum in a UK medical school

Whether ultrasound (US) should be incorporated into a medical undergraduate curriculum remains a matter of debate within the medical education arena. There are clear potential benefits to its early introduction particularly with respect to the study of living anatomy and physiology in addition to the learning of clinical skills and procedures required for the graduate clinical practice. However, this needs to be balanced against what is perceived as an added value in addition to financial and time constraints which may potentially lead to the sacrifice of other aspects of the curriculum. Several medical schools have already reported their experiences of teaching US either as a standalone course or as a fully integrated vertical curriculum. This article describes and discusses the initial experience of a UK medical school that has taken the steps to develop its own pragmatic vertical US curriculum based on clinical endpoints with the intent of using US to enhance the learning experience of students and equipping them with the skills required for the safe practice as a junior doctor.

Focus cardiac ultrasound core curriculum and core syllabus of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging.

There is a growing trend of using ultrasound examination of the heart as a first-line diagnostic tool for initial patient evaluation in acute settings. Focus cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) is a standardized but restricted cardiac ultrasound examination that may be undertaken by a range of medical professionals with diverse backgrounds. The intention of this core curriculum and syllabus is to define a unifying framework for educational and training processes/programmes that should result in competence in FoCUS for various medical professionals dealing with diagnostics and treatment of cardiovascular emergencies. The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging prepared this document in close cooperation with representatives of the European Society of Anaesthesiology, the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology, the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association of the European Society of Cardiology and the World Interactive Network Focused On Critical Ultrasound. It aims to provide the key principles and represents a guide for teaching and training of FoCUS. We offer this document to the emergency and critical care community as a reference outline for teaching materials and courses related to FoCUS, for promoting teamwork and encouraging the development of the field.

The Current State of Ultrasound Training in Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Programs.

We evaluated the current state of ultrasound training in obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) residency programs across the United States. An electronic survey was sent to OB-GYN residency program directors and OB-GYN residents. Responses were obtained in September 2016. Program directors and residents were asked to reflect on their current ultrasound curriculum. A total of 93 program directors and 437 residents responded. Respondents were mostly from university programs located in tertiary centers. Ultrasound curricula varied: 11% of program directors and 23% of residents did not have any ultrasound-related didactics; of those who did, 27% of program directors and 40% of residents had it yearly or less. Three-quarters had mandatory ultrasound rotations, and few offered ultrasound electives (program directors, 52%; residents, 28%). Most residents were required to perform ultrasound examinations daily or weekly (98%). Most stated that the main focus of the rotation was OB only. Skill was evaluated mainly subjectively by direct observation. Although most program directors stated that residents were satisfactory/excellent in ultrasound, 22% would not treat patients on the basis of ultrasound examinations performed by their senior residents. Similarly, of all postgraduate year 4 respondents (n = 86), 76% stated that they will require additional training to be able to perform or read ultrasound examinations independently, and 43% would not treat a patient on the basis of their own ultrasound examinations without further confirmation. Residents believed that the biggest obstacle in ultrasound training is lack of dedicated faculty time (41%). Recognizing the lack of clearly defined milestones in ultrasound training in OB-GYN residency, this study confirms the substantial heterogeneity in curricula between programs, highlighting a need for a standardized ultrasound curriculum.