A Career in POCUS UME, Reflections on the Past and What’s to Come. A Conversation with Leaders in Undergraduate Point-of-Care Ultrasound Education

Emily Lovallo, MD
Matt Lohse, MD, FACEP
Dan Mirsch, DO, FACEP

Introduction

The ACEP Ultrasound in Undergraduate Medical Education Subcommittee recently hosted a panel discussion featuring leaders in undergraduate medical education (UME) who are shaping the future of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training for medical students. The panelists shared their experiences, insights, and advice for emergency physicians interested in developing and advancing UME POCUS programs.

Panelists and Their Roles

The panel included:

• Emily Lovallo, MD: Director of POCUS Education at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
• Audrey Herbert, MD: Associate Director of Undergraduate Medical Education and Development at Indiana University
• Lauren Branditz, MD, FACEP: Assistant Director of Emergency Ultrasound Division at Ohio State University
• Rob Ferre, MD, FACEP: Program Director for the Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum for Point-of-Care Ultrasound at Indiana University
• Joseph Minardi, MD, FACEP: Director of West Virginia University Medicine Center for Point-of-Care Ultrasound
• Dan Mirsch, DO, FACEP: Director of POCUS Education at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine

Key Discussion Points

• Protected time for faculty

The panelists emphasized the importance of securing protected time for faculty involved in UME POCUS programs. This dedicated time is essential for curriculum development, implementation, and ongoing coordination across departments and with School leadership.  

• Curriculum Development

Developing a comprehensive and effective POCUS curriculum requires translating clinical practice into a structured educational framework. Panelists shared strategies for gaining buy-in from faculty and administrators, including the importance of student feedback and demonstrating the value of POCUS in medical education.  Harnessing the will and passion of the tuition-paying students is a great way to push hesitant leaders.  Combining this with opportunities for eager faculty to also learn in a protected space for them in parallel will encourage further change and encourage implementation. It’s easy to get students excited about POCUS, at some places, the leadership may feel differently. Try to tap into the overall mission of your individual program.  If your institution is very research-focused, get a student group involved in POCUS-related research and show that high-quality impactful publications can come from investment in the time and technology.  If your place does a lot of community interventions show how POCUS can be used in lower resource settings that students often volunteer at.

• Program Implementation

Implementing a UME POCUS program can be complex, especially in large medical schools with multiple campuses. Strategies for success include starting with a pilot program, incorporating ultrasound into existing courses, and utilizing ultrasound to teach anatomy and physiology and the physical exam. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel here. There is a plethora of published curricula and free online educational videos that can be used to teach the basics. There are also an increasing number of packaged products tailored to Undergraduate Medical Education which include trackable modules, quizzes, and individual user accounts. These products were covered extensively in a previous webinar held by this subcommittee. The summary table is available to review in a previous newsletter and the full discussion is viewable on the Medical Student Education | EM Ultrasound Section website.

• Funding and Resources

Securing funding and resources is crucial for establishing and sustaining a UME POCUS program. Funding sources may include university funds, grants, and support from the emergency department or the medical school. In addition to financial support, having dedicated staff, such as sonographers and educators, can greatly enhance program effectiveness and cut down on cost. In addition, as POCUS is integrated at earlier stages in medical education, we are seeing increasing use of near-peer student educators in these better-established longitudinal programs which significantly decreases program costs and increases scalability. Engage vendors and community businesses for specific sessions or Ultrafest-like events. Be prepared for them to want participant emails or information and have a waiver or form to best deal with this and school policies.

• Next Steps

The panelists' had a wide range of future career plans, from continuing with bedside POCUS education to consideration of leadership roles in the schools of medicine or as system-wide POCUS directors. The general goal is to ensure that those passionate about ultrasound education can envision a future where their roles are respected, supported, and scalable.