BECOME A POCUS LEADER
We are thrilled to be offering a GIM POCUS fellowship at UBC starting in July of 2020.
Intended learners
This fellowship is designed for GIM trainees in their 5th year (funded via their own PGME). We are open to applicants who have completed a 4-year GIM program and want additional POCUS experience; however, these individuals would have to be self-funded.
The goal of the UBC IM POCUS fellowship is to train General Internists to become not only expert-level point-of-care ultrasonographers, but also to equip them with skills to be POCUS leaders.
Length
Length will vary between 6-12 months depending on the fellow and their individual goals. This time may include rotations spent on other services (ie Echocardiography), and/or out of province electives at other POCUS centres.
Objectives
Fellowship objectives will vary depending on the learner and their career trajectory/goals. Core objectives include:
Scanning proficiency
Develop expert-level skills in core IM POCUS applications including lung, vascular (IVC/JVP), basic cardiac, basic abdominal scanning
Expand scanning repertoire to include other advanced scans, including but not limited to: advanced cardiac, DVT, advanced abdomen, MSK, skin and soft tissue, etc
POCUS supervision and quality assurance
Work with rotating residents and provide quality assurance and feedback for all scans, with an emphasis on scan interpretation and clinical integration
POCUS education
Develop skills as a POCUS educator, including bedside scanning sessions, didactic teaching, and development of educational resources including screencasts and interactive cases
This will include involvement in UBC’s core IM POCUS program (teaching during workshops, etc) as well as at external course such as the HOUSE POCUS courses
Procedural competence
Perform and supervise IM procedures including US-facilitated thoracentesis, paracentesis, pigtail insertion, arthrocentesis, and lumbar puncture
Other objectives and areas of focus may include:
Administration
Develop skills necessary to start/build a POCUS program including quality assurance, credentialing, billing, and technical support
Research/QI
Engage in research or quality improvement projects related to POCUS
Digital/social media
Focus on creating FOAMed resources, developing and maintaining a website, creating a professional social media account (ie Twitter), etc
Components of training
Training will include time spent in the following settings:
IM POCUS rotation fellow
This will make up the bulk of the curriculum. The fellow will provide direct oversight for the POCUS clinical service and will engage in hands-on scanning, education, quality assurance, and procedural supervision with the IM POCUS rotation monthly residents
Fellows will work closely with the IM POCUS staff for the week
Echocardiography training (Cardiology)
ED POCUS collaboration including attending rounds/image review and scanning shifts with ED POCUS fellows
Critical Care POCUS collaboration
MSK POCUS training (Dr Mo Bardi)
Other learning opportunities as available
Possibility of additional training in lung US and pleural procedures with the Respirology service
Potential for out of province electives, including Western CCUS elective (Dr Rob Arntfield), and others
Certifications and deliverables
Fellows will be strongly encouraged to pursue some form of certification upon completion of their POCUS training, the nature of which will vary depending on their goals and skill set. These would be financed by the fellow. Options include:
CHEST Hospitalist POCUS certification pathway
C-POCUS certification
NBE Advanced Critical Care Echo examination
ARDMS examination
Deliverables from the fellowship will include:
Educational materials such as screencasts and interactive cases
Presentation at POCUS journal club
A scholarly project such as a QI or research project
Attendance at a national or international-level POCUS-focused conference is encouraged, with the option to present scholarly work.
