ASA POCUS Part 4 Workshop

 Learning Objectives

  1. Learn how to build a log of studies for Part 4 of the ASA POCUS Certificate
  2. Start building a log of studies
  3. If eligible (see Course Description below), complete the supervised portion (5 focused cardiac, 3 lung, 3 gastric, and 3 FAST exams) of the ASA POCUS Certificate’s Part 4 requirement (i.e., supervised portion of the log of studies).

 Course Description

This workshop will center on the ASA POCUS Certificate’s Part 4 requirement: log of studies. As part of the log of studies, learners are required to perform a certain number of diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training exams: 50 focused cardiac ultrasounds, 30 lung, 30 gastric, and 30 abdominal free fluid exams. Further, learners must have a subset (10%) of their studies over-read by a qualified mentor to verify that the studies are of interpretable quality. Specifically, Part 4 of the Certificate requires that the following number of studies be over-read for each organ system: 5 focused cardiac, 3 lung, 3 gastric, and 3 abdominal free fluid (aka FAST) exams.

At this workshop, learners will be split into two groups based partly on learner preference: (1) timed-graded pathway and (2) didactic pathway. Both groups will be performing diagnostic POCUS exams that are eligible to be logged toward the minimum training numbers required by the ASA Certificate. Learners who select the timed-graded pathway will additionally have a chance to perform the requisite minimum number of *supervised* studies for each organ system. Learners in the timed, graded pathway that are able to obtain the required minimum number of interpretable exams for each organ system will fulfill this “supervised exam” portion of the Certificate’s Part 4 requirement.

Please note: these learners will still need to complete the rest of log-building at their home institutions (i.e., the remaining exams performed that need not be supervised for the Certificate are the following: 45 focused cardiac, 27 lung, 27 gastric, and 27 FAST exams). Learners wishing to reserve one of the 5 slots for the timed, graded experience at each workshop should email nadia.hernandez@uth.tmc.edu as follows:

  • Subject line: ASA 2023 POCUS Certificate Part 4 workshop – timed, graded pathway
  • Body of email: I would like to sign up for the timed, graded pathway. I have signed up for the Part 4 workshop at UTHealth on Friday, March 10, 2023, at 3:30 pm

Gap Addressed

In 2021-2022, the ABA and ACGME identified diagnostic POCUS of several organ systems (cardiac, lung, gastric, and abdominal free fluid) as core competencies for anesthesiologists. However, proficiency in these skillsets is variable among both attending anesthesiologists and anesthesiology trainees. This unmet need is being partly addressed through the content of the ASA’s Diagnostic POCUS Certificate course. However, participants in the Certificate have thus far had great difficulty completing one specific Certificate requirement: building a log of studies and having a subset (10%) of these studies over-read by a qualified mentor to ensure that the images are of interpretable quality. This unmet need for help with log-building in general and the supervised portion of log-building, in particular, would be addressed by this workshop.

References

  1. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021 Apr 17:S1053-0770(21)00342-6.
  2. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2021 Feb 24:rapm-2021-102560.
  3. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2021 Feb 24:rapm-2021-102561.