Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) serves as an essential diagnostic and procedural tool widely used across specialties. Early, hands-on exposure can reinforce development of ultrasound (US) skills and clinical reasoning in students early in their medical careers. This concentration aims to engage students in longitudinal US education, literature, and scholarly activity.
By the completion of the concentration, students should be able to perform basic image acquisition and interpretation for the FAST, cardiac, pulmonary, biliary, renal, reproductive, and soft tissue exams and obtain US-guided intravenous (IV) access.
Maximum Number of Students per year: 1-2
Applications for the scholarly concentration open at the beginning of the Spring term for MS1 students with rolling admissions through the fall of the 2nd year. To apply, students will fill out a brief personal statement (sections listed below, 4000 character maximum each), undergraduate college information, and other contact/demographic information.
In this section please include a summary of why you are interested in this scholarly
concentration and a description of any previous experiences with ultrasound (including research) that are related to it.
In this section please include a description of how you will maximize your experience in this concentration (i.e., what goals do you have for participating the scholarly concentration? How will participating in the scholarly concentration benefit you in the future?).
What specific concentration related topics are you particularly interested in exploring? What specialties are you considering?
Apply to the program
Optional:
Required didactics will include an introductory ultrasound curriculum, one EMER US elective in either yr 3 or 4, and a monthly journal club in yr 4. A sample of these didactics is listed below.
Introductory Ultrasound Curriculum
1. Basics
– Introductory Lecture
– SAEM Introduction to Bedside Ultrasound
– Probe Movements
– Sonosite Machine
– Infection Control
2. FAST
–https://www.pocus101.com/efast- ultrasound-exam-made-easy-step-by-step- guide/ (external link)
– FAST Case
3. Biliary
– https://coreultrasound.com/gallbladder/ (external link)
– Biliary Case 1
4. Renal/Bladder
– https://coreultrasound.com/hydronephrosis/ (external link)
– https://wikem.org/wiki/Bladder_ultrasound (external link)
– Bladder Volume Measurement
– Renal Case
5. Lung
– https://coreem.net/core/pulmonary-ultrasound/ (external link)
– https://pie.med.utoronto.ca/POCUS/ POCUS_content/lungUS.html (external link)
– Pulmonary Edema
– Lung Case
6. Cardiac/Vascular
– https://pie.med.utoronto.ca/tte/ TTE_content/ standardviews.html#instructions (external link)
– https://coreultrasound.com/how-to-obtain- cardiac-windows/ (external link)
– https://coreultrasound.com/basic-cardiac-function/ (external link)
– Basic Transthoracic Echocardiography
– https://www.acep.org/sonoguide/basic/cardiac (external link)
– IVC for Fluid Responsiveness
– Cardiac Case
– Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
– https://www.pocus101.com/dvt-ultrasound-made-easy-step-by-step-guide/ (external link)
– Vascular Case
7. Soft Tissue
– https://litfl.com/pocus-soft-tissue- ultrasound/ (external link)
– Soft Tissue Case
8. MSK
– Shoulder
– Achilles Tendon
– Hands/Feet (water bath)
– Knee
9. Nerve Blocks
– Introduction
– Fascia Iliaca
– Serratus Anterior
– Median, Ulnar, and Radial Nerves
10. Procedural
– US-Guided IV
– US-Guided Arthrocentesis
– Foreign Body Removal
– Foreign Body Case
11. Reproductive
– Early Pregnancy
– Fetal Biometry (Anatomy) Scan
– Fetal Viability
– Testicular Torsion
12. Other
– Ocular US
(one elective required from the options below, yr 3 or 4)
(yr 4)
Annals of Emergency Medicine
Academic Emergency Medicine
Western Journal of Emergency Medicine (WestJEM)
Cereus Journal of Medical Science
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA) EM Resident Magazine (not peer- reviewed)