PED 7325 - Pediatric Emergency Medicine Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Hands-on ultrasound scanning of patients will require adequate understanding of anatomy as well as cardiac pathophysiology. The goal of the ultrasound elective is to train medical students to be proficient at recognizing normal anatomy and in using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for the E-FAST and basic cardiac exams in order to identify emergent conditions such as: hemothorax, pneumothorax, pericardial effusion, hemoperitoneum, impaired global ventricular function, cardiac tamponade, and collapse or dilated inferior vena cava. This elective is distinctive in that it will be focused on using point of care ultrasound on infants, children, and adolescents. These interactions with children and their families are unique and require a different approach to successfully obtain and interpret images. This 10 day (M-F) 2-week elective will provide the learner with online video learning as well as simulated and hands-on instruction in emergent ultrasound. Skills taught will include basic lung and cardiac ultrasound, E-FAST, and peripheral/central IV access with the goals of understanding how to identify hemothorax, pneumothorax, basic cardiac function, cardiac tamponade, IVC fluid status, and intraperitoneal fluid.