Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Mentorship Program

Registration is closed.

May–October 2024

Build on your point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) learning and become increasingly proficient in practice. This live, virtual course provides highly-personalized, 1:1 POCUS training through expert mentorship to help Internal Medicine Physicians solidify and advance skills, with training that is customized to your learning needs.

After registering, you'll receive a confirmation email which will include a link to a questionnaire where you'll be asked which type of device you'll be using. This questionnaire should be completed within 3 days

*Currently acceptable devices: Philips Lumify (limited slots available), Butterfly (Limited slots available. A mandatory tech session with a Butterfly representative is required), cart-based lap top device. ACP also has a limited number of EchoNous Kosmos devices available to loan.

Ultrasound Course

Virtual, Live Training

Grow your skills with ongoing hands-on, livestream remote video and mentored scanning sessions. Over the course of six months, live instruction will cover content personalized to your needs across five key POCUS skill areas, including pulmonary, cardiac, kidney, and bladder ultrasound; evaluation of abdomen for free fluid; and focused vascular evaluations of the lower extremity for deep venous thrombosis.

Expert-Led

Benefit from directly observed feedback and high-yield skills demonstrations. Clinical internal medicine POCUS experts across the country will share perspectives on clinical integration and work closely with you to answer your questions regarding practical implementation.
"The faculty are outstanding and practical, with good advice and tips for teaching and learning... You can focus on what is important to you."
Tracey Doering, MD, MACP

"Image Challenge" Series

Receive bi-weekly micro activities developed specifically for Mentorship participants for opportunities to practice image recognition skills.

Choose Your Schedule

Highly-valuable one-hour sessions with expert faculty are scheduled monthly.

International Learners: due to numerous factors, including shipping regulations and equipment requirements, we regret that we're not able to accept international learners into the program at this time.

Learning Objectives

  1. Demonstrate ability to correctly acquire, interpret, and clinically integrate normal and abnormal ultrasound images for the following core internal medicine POCUS examinations:
    • Pulmonary ultrasound
    • Focused cardiac ultrasound
    • Kidney and bladder ultrasound
    • Evaluation of abdomen for free fluid
    • Focused vascular evaluations of the lower extremity for deep venous thrombosis
  2. Demonstrate ability to troubleshoot commonly occurring problems in obtaining optimized images across multiple sonographic windows
  3. Describe nuances of clinical integration for various POCUS findings
  4. Generate a plan for personal implementation of internal medicine POCUS into local clinical practice and a plan for continual skill refinement

Is This Course Right For You?

Substrate

  • You have sufficient POCUS knowledge and hands-on scanning experience to make remote training practical (See Prerequisites tab)  

AND

  • You have sufficient familiarity with virtual meeting programs and a general willingness to help troubleshoot common connection/technological issues

Setup

  • You have access to someone willing to serve as a scanning model and access to compatible ultrasound equipment in a quiet space with a reliable and robust internet connection.
  • Access to EchoNous Kosmos, Philips Lumify, or a cart-based or laptop system. Note that ACP has a limited number of EchoNous Kosmos devices available for loan. You can request a loan when you register for the course.

Goals

  • You have the drive/desire to incorporate POCUS into your practice but don’t have readily available POCUS mentors to help guide your learning.

AND/OR

  • You prefer to practice your scanning skills outside the clinical environment to optimize the basics before scanning patients.
  • You are practicing your scanning skills in the clinical environment and wish to accelerate your progress obtaining diagnostic quality images consistently.
  • You would like targeted feedback on scans you are obtaining and customized practice sessions to work on your specific training needs.
  • You would like targeted feedback on improving your techniques for teaching/training others.

The course may not be right for you if:

  • You have no prior hands on scanning experience or have taken a course many years ago without regular practice.
  • You are looking for image overreading or purely image feedback without hands-on practice.
  • You are looking for virtual consults/real-time scanning in the clinical environment to inform patient care.
  • You have highly advanced or specialized ultrasound areas of focus outside of core Internal Medicine POCUS applications (e.g. ultrasound of the pancreas).

Course Directors

Faculty Members

CME Information

The American College of Physicians is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American College of Physicians designates this live activity for a maximum of 8 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

MOC Information

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 8 MOC points in medical knowledge in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credit claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

Ultrasound Equipment Requirements

After registering, you'll receive a confirmation email which will include a link to a questionnaire where you'll be asked which type of device you'll be using. This questionnaire should be completed within 3 days. ACP has a limited number of EchoNous Kosmos devices available to loan on a first-come, first-served basis. If you require a loan, please indicate on the questionnaire.

Learners should have access to one of the following:

  • EchoNous Kosmos - Loaned by ACP. Because of software requirements, personal Kosmos are not permitted in the course.
  • Butterfly  (A mandatory tech session with a Butterfly representative is required. More information will be available at a later date.)
  • Philips Lumify (limited number of slots available)
  • Laptop or Cart-based System
    • If using a laptop or cart-based system, we recommend using a single brand/model for all sessions because sorting out the connection details for the live video feed is best done only once and will be necessary to test prior to registering. Your laptop or cart-based system must have "video-out" capability. That is typically accomplished by a video-out port on the back of the machine/cart in the form of an HDMI, DVI, or, less likely, a VGA port. Sometimes this port is hidden under a cover or involves connecting the laptop to a docking station. Most modern devices have video-out capability, however older machines may not be able to output the video feed live from the ultrasound and will not work for this course. For learners using cart-based/laptop ultrasound machines (not a Philips Lumify or EchoNous Kosmos device), the interaction will require a laptop computer with 2 or more USB ports and video output via HDMI, VGA, or DVI. ACP will provide a POCUS Connect Box (accessories needed to connect)

Laptop or Cart-based System

If using a laptop or cart-based system, we recommend using a single brand/model for all sessions because sorting out the connection details for the live video feed is best done only once and will be necessary to test prior to registering.

Your laptop or cart-based system must have "video-out" capability. That is typically accomplished by a video-out port on the back of the machine/cart in the form of an HDMI, DVI, or, less likely, a VGA port. Sometimes this port is hidden under a cover (SonoSite XPorte) or involves connecting the laptop to a docking station (the SonoSite EDGE devices would be an example of this). Most modern devices have video-out capability, however older machines may not be able to output the video feed live from the ultrasound and will not work for this course.

For learners using cart-based/laptop ultrasound machines (not a Philips Lumify or EchoNous), the interaction during mentoring sessions will necessitate a laptop computer. Learners must assure they have an available modern laptop with 2 or more USB ports available that can connect to the wireless or wired network AT THE LOCATION THEY WILL BE DOING THEIR MENTORING SESSIONS for internet access. Specifically, if you are using a personal laptop, you must assure that it can connect to the network in your hospital if that is where you plan on doing your mentored scanning sessions.

The laptop security should allow installation privileges for the ZOOM application and access to https://webapp.reacts.com/ Prior to registering, we suggest that you assure your machine is capable of video output by connecting the appropriate cable (DVI, HDMI, VGA) to the ultrasound machine and connecting the other end to a computer monitor or TV. Your local ultrasound rep can assist if you have questions. When you register for the course, you’ll need to provide the following information;

  1. the manufacturer and model of the laptop/cart-based ultrasound you plan to use
  2. what the connection type is (DVI, HDMI, VGA), and
  3. that you successfully tested the video output and it worked on a monitor/TV

Registration Information

Register on or before March 31

Fees

ACP Member, Life Member, FACP, MACP

$2,225

Nonmember Physician

$2,800

Register after March 31

 

ACP Member, Life Member, FACP, MACP

$2,450

Nonmember Physician

$3,025

Register Now

Course Requirements

  • Complete ACP’s POCUS Online Learning Modules, #1-6  
  • Complete a technical refresher quiz that will be sent to you approximately one month prior to the start of the course
  • Attend a one-hour orientation session
  • Participate in one 1-hour mentorship session per month, May through October. Note that there is flexibility in scheduling these sessions.  You will coordinate with your mentor each month to determine a mutually convenient time.
  • Participate in 2 Image Review Sessions
  • Participants will be responsible for obtaining a live model to scan during the sessions. Live models will be required to sign an Ultrasound Model Waiver and this signed waiver should be emailed to acppocus@acponline.org prior to the start of the program. If using several different models throughout the program, each model will need to sign a release prior to their session.

Prerequisite Requirements

  • Students and Residents are not eligible
  • Must have completed ACP's POCUS: Foundational Skills for Internal Medicine Physicians course or POCUS: Advanced Skills for Outpatient Practice course.

Alternate 2-day introductory courses that include a minimum of 50% hands-on time might be considered as a surrogate for and ACP course. A course agenda and certificate of completion must be submitted for approval. Attestation of significant experience might also be considered as a surrogate at the course director’s discretion. Please submit this information to ACPPOCUS@acponline.org. You will receive a response within 10 days. If you are not approved for the course, you will receive a full refund.

Cancellation Policy

Through April 8, 2024: Full refund.

April 8 - April 23, 2024: Refund registration less $100 administrative fee.

Beginning April 24, 2024: No refund.

Important Course Dates

Orientation Session
Wednesday, May 22nd, 3-4pm EST

EchoNous Tech Sessions
Tuesday, May 28th, 3:30-4pm EST
Wednesday, May 29th , 3:30-4pm EST

Butterfly Tech Session
Thursday, May 23rd, 3-4 pm EST

Philips Lumify with active Reacts Account
Video instructions are available on the resource page.

Image Review Session I
Thursday, August 29, 2024, 3:00 - 4:00 pm (ET)
Calendar invite will be sent out on a later date.

Image Review Session II
Monday, October 28, 2024, 3:00 - 4:00 pm (ET)
Calendar invite will be sent out on a later date.

Zoom links will be sent at a later date. All sessions will be recorded.

FAQs

Who is eligible to participate in the POCUS Mentorship Program?

Registrants of the POCUS Mentorship Program must have completed one of the following courses:

  • ACP’s POCUS Foundational Skills for Internal Medicine Physicians
  • ACP’s POCUS: Advanced Skills for Outpatient Practice
  • An alternate 2-day course that included at least 50% hands-on instruction

When will my mentorship sessions be scheduled?

Using an interactive calendar, you’ll work with your mentors to schedule your sessions at a mutually convenient time.

What if I have a last minute conflict and am not able to participate in a scheduled mentor session?

If this happens, please contact your mentor and ACP at ACPPOCUS@acponline.org to reschedule your session. Reschedules will be limited to one per month.

Who can be an ultrasound model?

Anyone can.  You can ask a medical student, resident, fellow, colleague, family member or friend.  Just be sure that you obtain a completed Ultrasound Model Waiver from the individual serving as your ultrasound model and submit it to ACPPOCUS@acponline.org.

What type of ultrasound machines can be used?

Registrants may use EchoNous Kosmos (Loaned by ACP. Because of software requirements, personal Kosmos are not permitted in the course) Butterfly, Philips Lumify (with an active REACTS account), or a cart-based/laptop system. More information can be found under the Ultrasound Equipment Requirements tab.

How do I set up my ultrasound unit for the course?

Instructions for the set-up will be sent to you approximately one month prior to the course.

How do I claim CME for this course?

Instructions on how to claim CME/MOC for this course will be sent to participants towards the end of the course. Up to 8 CME credits will be available for this course.

What if I’m not able to attend the Orientation Session?

The orientation session will be recorded and the recording will be made available to all registrants.

What if I’m not able to attend the Image Review Sessions?

The image review sessions will be recorded and the recording will be made available to all registrants.

Other questions?

Email ACPPOCUS@acponline.org

 

Professional Conduct Statement

ACP is a community that values collegiality, respect for patients and each other, and medicine’s standards of ethics and professionalism. ACP members are guided by the content and spirit of the ACP Pledge and by their commitment to the ethics of medicine, including those in the ACP Ethics Manual. “Physicians’ conduct as professionals and as individuals should merit the respect of the community.” ACP expects members, staff, and others who participate in events and activities involving ACP to treat others as you would like to be treated—with courtesy, respect for differences, and in ways that appropriately represent the profession of internal medicine. As set forth in ACP’s Anti-Harassment Policy, ACP does not tolerate any form of harassment, including intimidation, hostility, or other unwelcome and offensive communication or treatment. If you experience or observe harassing, inappropriate or otherwise unprofessional behavior, or you have concerns about how you have been treated by an ACP member or staff or anyone else at an ACP meeting or event, you may report the incident to ACPevents@acponline.org or call 215-351-7750