POCUS
Jordan Nickols, M.D.
Internal Medicine Point-of-care Ultrasound (IMPOCUS) Medical Director
EAMC Internal Medicine Residency Core Faculty
Read BiographyWelcome, from the Internal Medicine Point-of-care Ultrasound (IMPOCUS) Medical Director
Here at East Alabama Medical Center's Internal Medicine Residency Program, we tout a robust and ever-expanding point-of-care ultrasound curricula. We always seek to create a culture and environment focused on excellence and this includes the area of internal medicine point-of care ultrasound (IMPOCUS).
We understand IMPOCUS is becoming ubiquitous in training among hospitalists and residents practicing Internal Medicine. It is being supported and recommended by organizations such as ACP, AMA, SHM, among others. As such, an IMPOCUS curriculum should be in place to help guide and direct IMPOCUS innovation and training to produce physicians with adequate competency in ultrasound use and to guide both diagnostic reasoning and therapeutic benefit.
Our Mission is to provide foundational POCUS knowledge and the necessary skill set to cultivate in our residents the ability to obtain, interpret, and apply bedside ultrasound images to a variety of clinical situations which will ultimately lead to the best outcomes and care for our patients.
We do this by incorporating several hours of didactics, skills-based sessions, simulations, online education modules, and POCUS rounds into our residency. Our curriculum so allows for you to opt into a second and third tier, known as our “POCUS champions,” to allow those with special interest to expand upon the basics.
Our Vision for the program is to make a robust and innovative hub for POCUS knowledge across the Southeast. I look forward to continuing to build this US program alongside our current students, residents, and faculty.
POCUS Faculty and Staff
Jordan Nickols, M.D.
EAMC Internal Medicine Residency Program Core Faculty
IMPOCUS Medical Director
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Nathan Douthit, M.D.
EAMC Internal Medicine Residency Program Core Faculty
IM Residency Director
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POCUS Resident Curriculum
Tier One
All residents are exposed to a basic didactic and skills-based curriculum. This covers POCUS indications, procedural POCUS, and the basics of image acquisition and interpretation. As POCUS is further incorporated into the standards of care, we believe all residents should have a basic understanding of this technology. After completion of the basic curriculum over your first year of residency, you will be able to obtain and interpret the following organ systems: Focus cardiac, pulmonary, focused abdomen, renal, bladder, and vasculature.
Tier Two
You could enroll in at the beginning of your second year, you will receive more individualized instruction and be expected to complete an image portfolio to develop “limited proficiency” in image acquisition and interpretation of a variety of scans.
This portfolio includes imaging of the organ systems discussed above. These images will be reviewed by faulty members and feedback will be given. Tier 2 individuals will also have additional educational opportunities for US practice. A final skills-based assessment of you knowledge will be conducted at the end of each curricular period with an associated required passing score.
Tier Three
POCUS “champions” will be selected from our PGY-2 and PGY-3 classes. 2 from each class will participant. They will be expected complete similar requirements as the above tier 2 individuals, in addition to contributing to POCUS teaching at our skills-based sessions and orientation. A POCUS research OR QI project will be required of them. These individuals will also be responsible for updating POCUS Pocket guide annually.
Curriculum Guide and Training Sessions
Once curriculum is completed, a final assessment on your knowledge, image acquisition, and interpretation can be performed. This is only required for tier two and three individuals currently. Additionally, as you complete your portfolio, image review with our faculty will be a continual process to improve image quality and accuracy.