title: International Federation for Emergency Medicine point of care ultrasound curriculum.
abstract: To meet a critical and growing need for a standardized approach to emergency point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) worldwide, emergency physicians must be trained to deliver and teach this skill in an accepted and reliable format. Currently, there is no globally recognized, standard PoCUS curriculum that defines the accepted applications, as well as standards for training and practice of PoCUS by specialists and trainees in emergency medicine. To address this deficit, the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) convened a sub-committee of international experts in PoCUS to outline a curriculum for training of specialists in emergency PoCUS. This curriculum document represents the consensus of recommendations by this sub-committee. The curriculum is designed to provide a framework for PoCUS education in emergency medicine. The focus is on the processes required to select core and enhanced applications, as well as the key elements required for the delivery of PoCUS training from introduction through to continuing professional development and skill maintenance. It is designed not to be prescriptive but to assist educators and emergency medicine leadership to advance PoCUS education in emergency medicine no matter the training venue. The content of this curriculum is relevant not just for communities with mature emergency medicine systems but in particular for developing nations or for nations seeking to develop PoCUS training programs within the current educational structure. We anticipate that there will be wide variability in how this curriculum is implemented and taught, reflecting the existing educational environment, resources and goals of educational programs.
authors.affiliation: *Dalhousie University,Halifax,NS.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.affiliation: ‡Sydney Adventist Hospital,Wahroonga,NSW.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowra
authors.affiliation: ¶Department of Emergency Medicine,Advocate Christ Medical Centre,Oak Lawn,IL;||Joint Division of Emergency Medicine,Stellenbosch University,Stellenbosch,South Africa.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: **University of Cape Town, Cape Town,South Africa.
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lamprecht
authors.affiliation: ††Division of Emergency Ultrasound and Department of Emergency Medicine,Massachusetts General Hospital,MA.
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.affiliation: ‡‡Royal Victoria Infirmary,Newcastle upon Tyne,UK.
authors.forename: Bob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jarman
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems
keywords: Competency Assessment; Education; International Curriculum; Point of Care Ultrasound