Developing a Longitudinal Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)

Background:

• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a valuable diagnostic tool with potential to improve patient care.
• Barriers such as limited faculty training, equipment access, and time constraints impede POCUS integration into internal medicine residency programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a multimodal, longitudinal POCUS curriculum for internal medicine residents.
• To identify barriers to POCUS curriculum implementation and suggest improvements.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal POCUS curriculum was implemented, including online modules, faculty-led sessions, and portfolio compilation.
• Program effectiveness was assessed via pre- and post-program surveys measuring confidence in image acquisition and interpretation.
• Survey response rate was 11% (11 of 96 participants).

Main Results:

• Only 9 of 50 initial enrollees completed the curriculum; 2 met all requirements.
• Post-program surveys showed significant improvements in confidence with cardiac and volume assessments.
• In-person didactics and scanning were most effective; time constraints and equipment access were major barriers.

Conclusions:

• A longitudinal POCUS curriculum can enhance resident confidence but faces challenges with low completion rates.
• Addressing barriers like equipment accessibility and faculty training is crucial for successful POCUS integration.
• Further development is needed to optimize curriculum efficacy and integration into core residency training.