The Introduction to Point of Care Ultrasound course will provide an opportunity for primary care providers who are new to point of care ultrasound, as well as those in need of a refresher, to develop basic skills in a comprehensive set of ultrasound applications that can be integrated into the primary care practice.

Attendees will develop basic skills in the use of both laptop and handheld portable ultrasound units. This introductory program is taught by a cadre of ultrasound users and educators who are internationally-recognized for their work on ultrasound in medical education programs. Attendees will spend the majority of their time on practical, hands-on scanning exercises using live models, with no more than a 4:1 ratio of students to instructors. Non-physicians are also welcome to attend.  This includes mid-level practitioners (PAs and NPs), medics, nursing staff and sonographers.

This comprehensive Introduction to Point of Care Ultrasound course will provide attendees with the skills and confidence in acquisition and interpretation of ultrasound images needed to further integrate ultrasound into their primary care practices.

Upon completion of the program, attendees will be able to:

• Discuss physical characteristics of ultrasound and ultrasound machine
• Establish basic skills in the use of laptop and handheld ultrasound units
• Acquire images of the heart including PLAX, Apical 4-chamber, and Subcostal views
• Perform an ultrasound exam of the abdominal aorta with focus on aneurysm detection
• Perform basic musculoskeletal ultrasound scans on large joints
• Perform ultrasound guided procedures (paracentesis, thoracentesis, and central line placement)
• Combine imaging of heart, IVC and lungs as a means to perform a limited cardiopulmonary exam
• Recognize an abscess on soft tissue ultrasound
• Perform a two zone exam for deep venous thrombosis
• Perform basic scans of the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, and urinary bladder

• Imaging fundamentals
• Instrumentation and image optimization
• Imaging in B mode, M mode, and with Color Doppler
• Imaging with laptop and handheld ultrasound units of:
  • abdominal aorta, to include AAA screening
  • IVC to include assessment of size and collapsibility.
  • abdomen including the liver, gall bladder, and spleen.
  • kidneys and urinary bladder.
  • deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
  • MSK knee and shoulder examination.
  • heart using PLAX and Apical 4-chamber views to enable assessment of global heart function.
• Ultrasound guided procedures (paracentesis, thoracentesis, central line placement)
• Lung ultrasound imaging
• Combining heart, IVC and lung imaging to perform a cardiopulmonary limited ultrasound exam
• Soft Tissue ultrasound to evaluate for abscess.

The Introduction to Point of Care Ultrasound program is intended for those primary care providers who want to include ultrasound in their diagnostic tool box and either have none or minimal experience using ultrasound.

The course will provide a comprehensive experience with those applications that can be used at the point of care in their practice. The program will also be useful to those who wish to brush up their ultrasound skills. Attendance is appropriate for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who work in a primary care, hospitalist or urgent care setting. No previous ultrasound imaging experience is needed.

Location

University of South Carolina School of Medicine Ultrasound Institute Building 28, 2nd Floor
6311 Garners Ferry Road Columbia, SC 29209

Schedule

The first day (Thursday) begins at 8:00 a.m., with registration and a light breakfast, and ends at 5:30 p.m. The second day (Friday) begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m.

If you require overnight lodging, we recommend:

• Hampton Inn and Suites
  201 East Exchange Blvd, Columbia
  855-799-6860     
• Holiday Inn Express and Suites
  7329 Garners Ferry Rd (Rte. 378), Columbia
  855-799-6861
• Country Inn and Suites
  220 E Exchange Blvd Columbia
  855-873-6557
• LaQuinta Inns and Suites
  7333 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia
  800-753-3757
• Baymont Inn & Suites
  240 E Exchange Blvd, Columbia
  855-296-5767

All of these accommodations are within a couple miles of the USC School of Medicine Ultrasound Institute, a short drive from the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE). 

Directions from these hotels to the USC School of Medicine Ultrasound Institute:      

• From your lodging, proceed out to the main highway (route 378/Garners Ferry Rd.) and take a left onto the highway
• Proceed straight under the I-77 overpass
• Continue straight through 2 traffic lights (VA medical center is on your left at the 1st light, Krispy Kreme is on your right at the 2nd light)
• Proceed straight to a 3rd light (Walgreens Pharmacy is on your right) and take a left turn at this intersection
• Proceed straight into a parking area that will appear to your right. The Ultrasound Institute training facility is on the 2nd floor of the 2-story brick building that appears on your left. There is plenty of parking in the lots adjacent to the Building 28.

Physician:          $1,600.00 ($1,500 with early bird discount)

NP:                        $1,200.00 ($1,100 with early bird discount)

PA:                         $1,200.00 ($1,100 with early bird discount)

Resident:            $900.00 ($800 with early bird discount)

Early Bird Registration (You must register at least 21 days prior to the event to receive the $100 off the tuition.)

Society of Ultrasound in Medical Education (SUSME) Members: $100 discount

NOTE: If you are a SUSME member, enter the promo code "SUSME" on the Payment Methods page, and click to receive a $100 discount. This step happens before the final review of the registration.

Rural Health Providers:

The Ultrasound Institute is collaborating with the South Carolina Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare to increase access to POCUS training for rural health providers in South Carolina.  As part of the initiative, a limited number of tuition free registrations will be granted to individuals practicing in a rural or underserved setting in SC.  Please contact Dina Brown at 803-216-3354  or at [email protected], to see if you are eligible.

November 14-15, 2024 • January 16-17, 2025 • March 13-14, 2025•
May 15-16, 2025

NOTE: If you are a SUSME member, enter the promo code "SUSME" on the Payment Methods page, and click to receive a $100 discount. This step happens before the final review of the registration.

Register online with our CME registration form. If the registration page fails to load, clear out your browser's cache and history and then try again. 

Continuing Education Credits

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Prisma Health–Midlands Continuing Medical Education Organization is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Prisma Health–Midlands Continuing Medical Education Organization designates this live activity for a maximum of 15.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) ™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
For additional information, please contact the Director of Ultrasound Education at the Ultrasound Institute, Robert Haddad, at [email protected] or 803-216-3306.

Richard A. Hoppmann, M.D., is a Professor of Medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and former Dean of the USCSOM. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. He is Director of the Ultrasound Institute at the University of South Carolina and is principle investigator on multiple ultrasound grants totaling over $1 million. He has introduced an integrated ultrasound curriculum over four years of medical student education at the USCSOM and has helped develop an ultrasound training program for primary care physicians in rural South Carolina. He serves as President of the Society of Ultrasound in Medical Education.

 

Robert Haddad, RDCS, RVT is a registered cardiovascular sonographer and Director of Ultrasound Education at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. He is also the clinical coordinator and lead instructor of the cardiovascular ultrasound programs at Midlands Technical College and the Prisma School of Ultrasound. In addition, Robert has been a part of the Cardiac Diagnostics lab at Prisma Health for the past 13 years.

 

 

Floyd E. Bell, M.D., “Tripp” is the Director of the Ultrasound Institute.  He is Assistant Professor and Chair of Radiology at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia. A graduate of the USC School of Medicine Columbia, he completed a transitional year internship at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in South Carolina and a diagnostic radiology residency at University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill. He previously worked in private practice for a radiology group in Columbia, S.C. Among his research interests is ultrasound in medical education.

 

Mary Elizabeth Poston, MD joined the Division of Internal Medicine in 2004 where she is currently Assistant Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine. She graduated medical school from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 1999 where she also completed her residency in 2002. She completed an Academic Generalist and MS Clinical Research Fellowship in 2004. Academically, Dr. Poston is interested in pre-clinical medical student education, was Director of the Introduction to Clinical Medicine curriculum, and currently directs the Internal Medicine residency program. Additional interests include ultrasound in medical education and increasing physical activity in primary care.

 

Keith R. Barron, M.D. is a faculty member at the Ultrasound Institute and hospitalist at Prisma Health Richland. He graduated from University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 2011, participating in an integrated, four-year ultrasound curriculum. In 2014 he completed an Internal Medicine residency at Palmetto Health/University of South Carolina School of Medicine, where he served as Chief Resident. He recently finished a Primary Care Ultrasound Fellowship in 2015 and has a particular interest in lung ultrasound.

 

Duncan L. Norton, MD, MS is currently an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Prisma Health Children's Hospital - Midlands. He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 2014. He completed his pediatric residency at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital in 2017. After residency, he completed the Primary Care Ultrasound Fellowship in 2018. He is currently the Director of the Pediatric Residency POCUS curriculum at Prisma Health Children's Hospital - Midlands. Current interests are in lung ultrasound and the use of POCUS to facilitate communication between physician and parents. 

 

Dina Brown, RDMS, is a registered diagnostic medical sonographer and Program Coordinator at the University of South Carolina, School of Medicine. For several years she served as the clinical coordinator and scan lab instructor for the general sonography program at Midlands Technical College.  Before joining the Ultrasound Institute Dina focused primarily on women's health scanning OB/Gyn.

 

Jeffrey Wisinski, DO, CAQSM, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained osteopathic primary care sports medicine doctor at Prisma Health Family Medicine. He serves as an assistant program director for the Prisma Health Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship in Columbia and is an assistant professor of Family Medicine with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

 

 

Speakers will disclose any relevant commercial relationships prior to the start of the educational activity.

In addition to the faculty listed, Adrienne C. Ross (CME Manager, Office of Continuous Professional Development & Strategic Affairs) is recognized by USCSOM Ultrasound Institute as being in control of content of this program.