Point-of-care Ultrasound (POCUS) Curriculum for Internists in Turkey: A Position Paper by the DAHUDER Internal Medicine Society Ultrasound Working Group
Abstract
Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is the application of ultrasound imaging by clinicians at the point of healthcare delivery. POCUS has been used by emergency medicine physicians and intensivists for a long time, but its use in internal medicine is relatively recent. Around the world, there are many position papers, curricula, and training programs regarding POCUS in internal medicine, but there is no standardized curriculum in Turkey. We aimed to set national standards for internists in the POCUS curriculum.
Methodology: The DAHUDER Internal Medicine Society Ultrasound Working Group convened members to establish the POCUS Internal Medicine curriculum. We conducted a literature search and informal clinician assessment to create a curriculum that meets the needs, demands, and resources of Turkish internists while also guaranteeing its compatibility with international curricula.
Results: We identified ten main domains under the basic and advanced POCUS curriculum as follows: Principles of ultrasound physics, machine basics, thorax imaging, abdominal imaging, cardiac imaging, vascular imaging, thyroid & neck imaging, musculoskeletal imaging, interventional imaging, and approach to clinical scenarios: Protocols. We expect these domains and their content to establish the POCUS imaging standard for internists in Turkey.
Conclusion: We expect the POCUS education curriculum to set standards, increase clinicians' skills, and improve patient care as the ultimate outcome.
Keywords
Diagnostic Ultrasound, Ultrasonographic Imaging, Internal Medicine, General Internal Medicine
Ethical Statement
No ethical approval needed
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