Developing a Roadmap for a Competency-Based Point-of-Care Ultrasound Education Program

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anesthesiology
• Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)

Background:

• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) adoption is increasing across medical specialties.
• Residency programs face challenges in developing effective POCUS curricula.
• Optimizing POCUS training is crucial for achieving trainee competence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an anesthesiology residency POCUS curriculum.
• To identify areas for improvement in POCUS training based on evaluation and feedback.
• To enhance resident competence in POCUS skills.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-one anesthesiology residents underwent baseline and post-course POCUS exams.
• Technical competence assessed using the RACE Scale (cardiac) and ACEP-CORD guidelines (lung).
• Resident perceptions gathered via a survey on POCUS education and training.

Main Results:

• No significant change in multiple-choice exam scores after the 2-week course.
• Highest image generation scores on the RACE Scale were for parasternal long-axis view.
• Residents expressed strong interest and desire for more POCUS exposure and training.

Conclusions:

• Anesthesiology POCUS training methods are not standardized.
• This study provides insights for integrating POCUS skills into residency training.
• Further development of POCUS curricula is needed to meet resident demand and improve competence.