Integration of Point of Care Ultrasound Into Formal Curricula Across Ontario Medical Schools

Endorsed in:

September, 2020

Paper Type:

Position Paper

Authors:

Daniel Picard (University of Ottawa)
Sacha Weill (University of Ottawa)

Background:

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a frequently used investigation across a variety of clinical contexts. Exposure to POCUS during undergraduate medical education (UGME), however, remains modest. To address this gap, the Ontario Medical Student Association (OMSA) sponsored a position paper with the following recommendations: 1) endorsement of POCUS teaching in UGME; 2) endorsement of a committee to discuss the implementation of POCUS; 3) evaluation by the aforementioned committee of the current status of POCUS education. This commitment by the OMSA puts POCUS instruction at the forefront of the discourse around the evolution of medical school curricula.

Recommendations:

That early and consistent POCUS instruction be included in undergraduate medical education
That a forum be provided, via a committee or working group, to support the implementation of POCUS in undergraduate medical education
That the aforementioned provincial committee evaluate the current trends in POCUS education, integration and instruction