Point-of-care Ultrasound (POCUS) stands out as a versatile, readily accessible, and highly accurate diagnostic tool in emergency medicine. This is particularly apparent in settings where access to advanced diagnostic equipment such as x-ray and CT scanners is limited. However, the effectiveness of POCUS is contingent upon the proficiency of the operator, underscoring the critical importance of thorough, high-quality training when introducing POCUS to new users.
At the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), the sole institution with an Emergency Medicine (EM) residency program in Rwanda, Stanford Emergency Medicine Department’s Global Emergency and Ultrasound Sections have collaborated with CHUK and the University of Rwanda (UR) to establish a sustainable POCUS training program into the resident curriculum.
An in-person ultrasound boot camp has been created to facilitate both didactic instruction and practical scanning experiences for incoming residents. Components of this training include traditional lectures, hands-on tutorials, supervised scan shifts in the ED with emergency patients, written exams, and an OSCE-like assessment. A virtual quality assurance (QA) program has been implemented, wherein all resident scans are reviewed using Butterfly Enterprise software by Ultrasound Faculty or Fellows, with feedback promptly relayed via email and phone notifications to learners for their education.
Central to the successful implementation of this program has been the training and support of resident ultrasound superusers. These superusers engage in biweekly virtual QA sessions with ultrasound faculty in the US, actively participating in the review of all scans performed at CHUK. They have developed their own lecture materials and are expected to lead in-person scan shifts in the emergency department, thus facilitating the wider adoption of POCUS among their peers. Ultimately, the goal is that these superusers will assume leadership roles within the education program at CHUK, ensuring its sustainability and independence from external support. Additionally, connections with faculty mentors have been fostered and efforts to promote scholarly output have been created.