title: Ultrasound credentialing in North American emergency department systems with ultrasound fellowships: a cross-sectional survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the credentialing systems of North American emergency department systems (EDS) with emergency ultrasound (EUS) fellowship programmes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective, cross-sectional, survey-based study of North American EUS fellowships using a 62-item, pilot-tested, web-based survey instrument assessing credentialing and training systems. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) distributed the surveys using SNAP survey (Snap Surveys Ltd, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over 6 months, 75 eligible programmes were surveyed, 55 responded (73% response rate); 1 declined to participate leaving 54 participating programmes. Less than 20% of EDS credential nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and students in EUS. Respondent EDS reported having an average of 4.2 ± 3.3 ultrasound faculty members (faculty identifying their career focus as EUS). The median number of annual point-of-care ultrasounds reported was 5000 (IQR 3000-8000). 30 EDS (56%) credential each examination individually and 48 EDS (89%) use ACEP credentialing criteria. 61% of fellowship leadership believe their credentialing system is either satisfactory or very satisfactory (Cronbach's coefficient α=0.84).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data show heterogeneity among North American EDS with EUS fellowship programmes with regard to credentialing systems despite published guidelines from the ACEP and Canadian Emergency Ultrasound Society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Venkatesh R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Bellamkonda
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shokoohi
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulmohsen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alsaawi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Emergency Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Ru
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Ronna L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, California, USA.
authors.forename: Yiju Teresa
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Keith S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Boniface
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003406:Credentialing / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014481:United States
keywords: education; emergency department management; imaging, ultrasound; systems; ultrasound