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A Survey of Ultrasound Training in U.S. and Canadian Chronic Pain Fellowship Programs
Jason A Conway1, Sanjib D Adhikary1, David Giampetro1
1Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Objective:
To assess the current state of ultrasound training in U.S. and Canadian Chronic Pain Fellowship programs.
Design:
U.S. as well as Canadian chronic pain fellowship programs were contacted via email and program directors were asked to complete a survey. The surveys were completed online using a questionnaire.
Setting:
Questionnaire via email.
Patients:
None.
Interventions:
None.
Outcome:
To assess the current state of ultrasound training in U.S. and Canadian Chronic Pain Fellowship programs.
Measures:
Current teaching structure, types, and numbers of ultrasound-guided interventional pain procedures.
Results:
Thirty-one responses (30.7%) from the 97 U.S. and four Canadian programs surveyed. Of the 31 programs that responded, 26 offered ultrasound training; five did not. These 31 programs averaged 4.1 fellows per year, majority 96.2% of the 26 programs taught ultrasound throughout the fellowship year. The type of ultrasound training varied, with the large majority 96.2% being patient based. Among 26 programs, 96.2% used ultrasound for peripheral nerve blocks, 76.9% used ultrasound for non-axial musculoskeletal injections, and 53.8% used ultrasound for axial nerve blocks.
Conclusions:
Chronic pain fellowships were teaching ultrasound-guided procedures to their fellows. The majority of the fellowships offered ultrasound training throughout the fellowship year. A majority of training was accomplished via hands-on experience with patients. Chronic pain fellows were receiving a majority of ultrasound training for peripheral nerve blocks, followed by nonaxial musculoskeletal blocks, with few axial nerve blocks being taught.
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