Program Overview

I. Goals and Objectives

The Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasonography (AEMUS) Fellowship at the University of Michigan Department Of Emergency Medicine has been designed to train emergency medicine physicians to become experts in clinical ultrasound and leaders within the field by meeting the following objectives:

  • Competency in the performance and interpretation of bedside ultrasound
  • Participation in ultrasound teaching and other educational activities
  • Involvement in and exposure to the administrative duties necessary to become a director of clinical ultrasound
  • Contribution to the field of clinical ultrasound research
  • Participation on a local or national level within the greater clinical ultrasound community

The AEMUS fellowship at the University of Michigan will prepare graduates to take direction of clinical ultrasound programs in both the academic and community setting, to contribute to the growing body of clinical ultrasound research and knowledge, to teach clinical ultrasound to learners of varying educational backgrounds, and to get involved on a national or regional level to help advocate for clinical ultrasound within the larger emergency medicine community.

II. Clinical Appointment

The AEMUS Fellow will be appointed by the University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine as a Clinical Instructor, and will be expected to work eight shifts per month at either the University of Michigan Hospital or Hurley Medical Center. Fellows will be held to the same standards as other faculty, which additionally means involvement in faculty meetings, faculty performance evaluations, and other duties. Additionally, there may additional opportunities available to staff the Mott Children’s Hospital Emergency Department or the VA Ann Arbor Medical Center as well.

III. Learning Objectives

Clinical Ultrasonography

By the end of fellowship, the AEMUS Fellow will need to complete 1000 clinical ultrasound scans with particular focus to the core scans mentioned in the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Accreditation Council Program Requirements (trans-abdominal and endovaginal pelvic, abdominal aorta, echocardiography, hepatobiliary, renal, vascular, soft tissue, musculoskeletal, lung, airway, ocular, bowel, male genitourinary, and procedural). The AEMUS Fellow will be expected to achieve mastery of the above as well as considerable proficiency in a variety of other advanced modalities.

To assist with this process, the fellow will receive teaching from ultrasound faculty in the form of both a weekly lecture series and hands-on scanning of both models and emergency department patients.

Educational Activities

The AEMUS fellow will take a key role in the education of both junior and senior emergency medicine residents, off-service residents and fellows, and medical students, and will provide an adjunctive role in the education of other fellows as well as advanced ultrasound track residents and emergency medicine faculty.

Each fellow is expected to present at least four clinical ultrasound presentations during the weekly fellow conference over the course of the fellowship. In addition, the fellow will be required to present at least once during resident conference on an ultrasound topic of their choice.

The AEMUS fellow will also perform five ultrasound scanning shifts per month during which she or he will perform hands-on scans with ultrasound learners at a variety of skill levels in order to help them gain competency in core ultrasound modalities. The fellow will also play an active role in the intern ultrasound bootcamp, medical student ultrasound labs, and other special events held during the year.

Administrative Leadership

The AEMUS fellow will be expected to take an active role within the University of Michigan Emergency Medicine ultrasound section and will be expected to gain exposure to and be actively involved with equipment purchasing and maintenance, ultrasound billing and coding, networking between departments, writing/revising ultrasound protocols, and ultrasound privileging. The fellow will be expected to take lead on at least one administrative project during the course of the year, either in the form of heading up a particular project or acting as a point person for an ongoing group or committee.

In addition, the fellow will take an active role in Quality Assurance (QA) of the department’s ultrasound images. QA review will occur with oversight by the ultrasound director and ultrasound fellowship director. The fellow will be expected to lead QA review sessions during the second half of the fellowship to discuss pertinent findings and deal with any issues that might arise.

Finally, the fellow will be expected to attend the monthly tri-hospital ultrasound faculty conference call in order to assist with the overall management of the ultrasound program.

Scholarly Activities

The AEMUS fellow will be expected to participate in ultrasound-related research activities during the fellowship year. The fellow is expected to participate in research of sufficient quality that will lead to either an abstract and national presentation or peer-reviewed publication. The fellow will submit at least one research project for IRB review. The fellow will be expected to take the lead on at least one research project over the course of the year.

Advocacy

The AEMUS fellow will be expected to get involved with the greater clinical ultrasound community on an interdepartmental, regional and national level. The fellow is encouraged to attend the Great Lakes Ultrasound Conference (GLUC) in August. The fellow will be expected to attend the annual ACEP Scientific Assembly as well as at least one other ultrasound related conference with the goal of presenting their work.