Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) has been increasingly recognized as a powerful bedside tool to quickly narrow the differential diagnosis across a wide range of medical specialties. POCUS performed at the bedside can answer focused questions like, “Does my patient have hydronephrosis?”, “Does my dialysis patient with shortness of breath have evidence of a severely reduced ejection fraction?”, and “Could volume overload be causing my patient’s shortness of breath?”

At UConn Health, we offer a nephrology-centric POCUS training program for nephrology fellows led by Dr. William Ackley, a nephrologist and credentialled ultrasound provider at UConn Health. UConn Health Nephrology has several tablet-based portable ultrasound devices with artificial intelligence that can help guide the ultrasound user in obtaining images and identifying anatomic structures.

Our POCUS curriculum is designed to provide longitudinal training over the course of the two-year fellowship. Key ultrasound topics will include general ultrasound principles, kidney and bladder imaging, lung ultrasonography, focused echocardiography, and temporary dialysis access ultrasound. Our curriculum includes a combination of didactic training, hands-on sessions, “POCUS pathology rounds,” and the ability to archive images for educational, feedback, and credentialing purposes. In addition to gaining the skills to capture and interpret ultrasound images, emphasis will be placed on being able to incorporate ultrasound images into clinical decision-making.