Design and Implementation of an Internal Medicine Point-of-Care Ultrasound Curriculum for Undergraduate Medical...

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly used by internal medicine physicians to improve diagnostic accuracy and clinical outcomes. Despite its value, POCUS is not widely integrated into undergraduate medical education, particularly during the core internal medicine clerkship, due to barriers such as limited faculty expertise and institutional resources.

We evaluated a 2-week internal medicine POCUS elective for fourth-year medical students, offered from 2020 to 2023 at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, as a potential model for integration into the internal medicine clerkship. Designed and facilitated by a single faculty member, the elective included formal didactic sessions, faculty-led scanning using ultrasound simulators and standardised patients, as well as self-directed reading and online modules. Student outcomes were assessed through pre- and post-course knowledge assessments and self-reported confidence surveys.

Between 2020 and 2023, 23 students completed the elective. Average knowledge assessment scores increased from 58.8% pre-course to 91.8% post-course, representing a 33% improvement (p < 0.0001). All 12 students who completed the confidence survey reported that the elective increased their knowledge and understanding of POCUS.

Although initially designed for fourth-year medical students, this POCUS elective provided knowledge and hands-on skills relevant to internal medicine. Its flexible format and low faculty burden suggest it may serve as a scalable model for incorporation into core internal medicine clerkships, including at institutions with limited POCUS-trained faculty or resources.