Abstract Rationale Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is an increasingly essential bedside diagnostic tool that enhances clinical decision-making across numerous medical disciplines. Despite its growing use within Internal Medicine, structured and validated POCUS training curricula remain limited, and the optimal methods for instruction and skill retention are not well established. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a two-week, structured, multimodal POCUS curriculum in improving resident knowledge and procedural competence, as well as assessing performance differences across post-graduate training levels. Methods At an urban, academic internal medicine residency program, a two-week POCUS elective was implemented for residents across all postgraduate years (PGY-1 to PGY-3), irrespective of prior POCUS experience. The curriculum consisted of one week of small-group, expert-led didactic sessions focusing on cardiovascular, pulmonary, abdominal, and deep venous systems, followed by a second week emphasizing hands-on scanning, image acquisition, and image interpretation under faculty supervision. Participants completed a self-assessment of prior POCUS experience, a 26-question written pre-test, and a corresponding post-test, along with a standardized hands-on assessment graded by POCUS-trained faculty. Pre- and post-test performance, as well as practical assessment scores, were analyzed and compared by post-graduate year (PGY) level. Results Thirty-four residents participated in the two-week POCUS elective, including 17 PGY-1, 12 PGY-2, and 5 PGY-3 trainees. Prior to the rotation, 24.2% of participants reported no prior POCUS experience, 54.5% reported limited experience, and 21.2% reported some experience. Overall, the mean written test score improved substantially from 58.8% on the pre-test to 90.6% on the post-test. Baseline assessments revealed higher pre-test scores among senior residents (PGY-2: 60%, PGY-3: 72%) compared with PGY-1 residents (56%). However, following completion of the curriculum, post-test scores were comparable across all training levels (PGY-1: 90%, PGY-2: 92%, PGY-3: 91%), indicating uniform knowledge acquisition regardless of prior experience or postgraduate year. Notably, PGY-1 residents exhibited slightly greater proficiency on the hands-on practical assessment compared with PGY-2 residents and performed comparably to PGY-3 residents. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that a brief, structured, and integrated POCUS curriculum significantly improved residents’ knowledge and procedural competence, irrespective of prior experience or level of training. The convergence of post-test and hands-on assessment scores across PGY levels supports the curriculum’s effectiveness in providing a standardized foundation in POCUS proficiency. Given the increasing demand for ultrasound competency in Internal Medicine, we propose that this two-week elective offers a replicable and efficient model for residency programs seeking to implement comprehensive POCUS training. This abstract is funded by: None
Shyam et al. (Fri,) studied this question.