Onboarding / Ultrasound Month
All EM interns participate in the Onboarding month: limited ED shifts, simulation, and two weeks of dedicated ultrasound time.
UF–Jacksonville EM Residency
Interns
We believe POCUS is a vital tool for medical decision making — and we start on day one. Ultrasound runs through your entire intern year, building from your first scan to procedural guidance.
Your intern year in ultrasound
Resuscitation Rotation
Using the skills from your first month, you'll combine exams to assess the critically ill patient and perform ultrasound-guided procedures.
Orthopedics Rotation
Expanding on previous skills, you'll begin to employ regional anesthesia techniques.
Onboarding / Ultrasound Month
Ultrasound education starts with orientation to our machines and our image storage and QI system, Q-Path. We use asynchronous didactics followed by scan sessions in the Simulation Center, then guided small-group scanning in the ED with ultrasound faculty. We take a tiered approach so the skills you learn this month get built on all year. Expect small groups, simulation, and games. Come prepared to scan — didactics and quizzes are homework so our time together is all hands-on.
- Ultrasound physics and knobology
- E-FAST
- Renal
- Biliary
- Abdominal aorta
- Basic cardiac
- Basic pelvic ultrasound
- Intro to ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia
- Ultrasound-guided IV insertion
New since 2024: an introduction to ultrasound-guided nerve blocks, teaching the fundamentals of the in-plane approach and basic needling skills.
Assignments
- E-FAST: watch Dr. Duran-Gehring's lecture and complete the quiz in the SAEM AEUS site.
- Abdominal ultrasound (biliary, renal, aorta): complete the module in the SAEM AEUS site.
- Basic cardiac: complete the SAEM AEUS module plus the HeartWorks simulator modules.
- Pelvic ultrasound: complete the SAEM AEUS module plus the ScanTrainer EM Early OB module (a 90-minute session — log in with your own account so your progress tracks).
You'll only advance to the next lesson once the prior one is complete. Email Dr. Duran-Gehring with any login issues.
Deliverables
- Complete all assigned modules (75% or better on all quizzes)
- Log every scan you perform during scan rounds in Q-Path
- Complete your simulation cases
- E-FAST OSAUS assessment
Before your first scan session
We use a standard set of terms for transducer manipulation, as described by Bahner et al. Watch the video before our first session so we can communicate efficiently.
Bahner DP, Blickendorf JM, Bockbrader M, Adkins E, Vira A, Boulger C, Panchal AR. Language of Transducer Manipulation: Codifying Terms for Effective Teaching. J Ultrasound Med. 2016 Jan;35(1):183-8.
Resuscitation rotation
Interns rotate through our resuscitation bays, assisting senior residents with patient care and performing procedures on critically ill trauma and medical patients. You'll learn to link the individual exams from Onboarding together to evaluate patients quickly.
- Review of basic cardiac ultrasound
- IVC and fluid responsiveness
- Lung ultrasound
- RUSH (Rapid Ultrasound in Shock and Hypotension)
- Endotracheal tube confirmation
- Review of ultrasound procedural guidance
Orthopedics rotation
Ultrasound is built into the ED Orthopedics rotation, where you'll use musculoskeletal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia.
- Review of soft tissue ultrasound
- Basic MSK ultrasound
- Basic ultrasound-guided nerve blocks
Bonus resources
POCUS 101
Clear, image-rich walkthroughs of every core POCUS exam.
ACEP SonoGuide
ACEP's free emergency ultrasound reference.
Core Ultrasound: 5 Minute Sono
Short, high-yield videos — perfect between patients.
Introduction to Bedside Ultrasound, Vol 1
Free ebook classic.
Introduction to Bedside Ultrasound, Vol 2
Free ebook, volume two.
Ultrasound physics with Geoff Hayden
Physics made painless.
Highland EM Ultrasound
Nerve blocks and regional anesthesia, taught by the Highland ultrasound team.
Stanford SonoDoc
Case-based practice with clinical scenarios.