Abstract | March 24, 2024

Work In Progress: Pilot Implementation of an Intern POCUS Workshop Series

Natalie Perez-Mendez, MD, Internal Medicine, PGY2, Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FL

Michael Mamone, MD, Internal Medicine, PGY4 Chief Resident, Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FL; Stephan Buteau, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FL; Daniel Gutman, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FL

Learning Objectives

  1. Implement their own point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) curriculum at their institutions. We also aim to demonstrate how incorporating POCUS training will enhance internal medicine resident training.

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is the inclusive practice of bedside ultrasound by clinicians to assess various organ systems and clinical circumstances. An emerging priority for medical school and graduate medical education is the integration of POCUS training into curriculum (1). We aim to evaluate if a workshop series will provide beneficial POCUS training to first-year internal medicine residents. Twenty-five interns are scheduled to participate in a workshop series in which willingness to practice POCUS and overall competency will be assessed using a Likert scale survey.

Methods: In September 2023, we began implementation of a longitudinal series of workshops during an academic half-day occurring once a month for a total of three workshop sessions. Twenty-five first-year internal medicine residents were divided into small groups in which each group participated in 3 two-hour workshops over the academic year. The 3 workshops covered cardiac, pulmonary, lower extremity deep venous thromboembolism (DVT), and abdominal ultrasound. Each session began with a qualitative assessment in which residents were asked to attempt to acquire views on a volunteer standardized patient (SP) that would be taught during the respective session. This was followed by a lecture on the topic then residents practiced this material taught on the SP under our supervision. Finally, a debriefing was done and clips covering pathology relative to the respective workshop topic were discussed.

Findings: According to our initial survey before the workshop series began, 84% of residents in our cohort endorsed having no formal POCUS training in medical school with 16% of residents endorsing having no POCUS experience in clinical practice. Preliminary results indicate a marked improvement in POCUS skills covering the topics we have covered so far: cardiac, pulmonary, and DVT evaluation. In February 2024, a post-workshop series survey will be administered to the residents.

Conclusion: Although the study is ongoing, it is evident there is a consensus among our cohort that using POCUS during residency would be beneficial. These data hopefully will inform our strategies for improving the curriculum and building a framework to ensure residents are using POCUS accurately to improve patient outcomes.

References and Resources

  1. Newton WP, Handler L, Magill M. BUILDING PRIORITIES IN HEALTH & HEALTH CARE INTO ABFM’S KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENTS. Ann Fam Med. 2022 May-Jun;20(3):287-289. doi: 10.1370/afm.2840.
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