A mixed-methods evaluation of a multidisciplinary point of care ultrasound program

Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) is well established within emergency medicine, however, the availability of formal training for other clinical disciplines is limited. Memorial University has established a cost-efficient, multidisciplinary PoCUS training program focusing on training residents' discipline-specific ultrasound skills. This study evaluates the skills, knowledge, and attitudes of residents who participated in the program.

Analysis was conducted using a mixed-methods, sequential exploratory approach. Initially, a focus group of seven first year residents was conducted to generate themes that were used to guide development of a survey administered to residents over a two-year period.

Thirty residents responded to the survey (response rate 63.8%) with 53.3% meeting the training requirements for focused assessment using sonography in trauma, 43.3% for pleural effusion, 40.0% for aortic aneurysms, and 40.0% for cardiac scans. Early pregnancy assessment was the skill of least interest with 46.6% not interested. Over half the residents (53.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that a multidisciplinary program met their needs while 21.4% disagreed. The focus group found the multidisciplinary approach adequate.

A single PoCUS curriculum has been shown to meet the needs and expectations of a majority of residents from multiple disciplines. It can enhance collaboration and bridge gaps between increasingly compartmentalized practices of medicine.