Ultrasound Education for Physician’s Assistants: Where does it stand?
Work Type
Poster
Abstract
Ultrasound is a highly portable, versatile, and affordable device which enables it to be used in a wide variety of clinical settings, from metropolitan regions to more rural populations. Portability comes in the form of carts, handheld devices, laptop-based systems, as well as blue-tooth connective devices. Ultrasound is highly versatile in nature, as it can be used for cardiac exam, joint injections, abdominal exams, locating abscesses, and ocular examination.1 The practical uses of ultrasound in medicine has expanded from emergency medicine focused to being used in a wide variety of specialties such as family medicine, orthopedics, and obstetrics.1 Ultrasound has recently become more affordable with its reduction in size, just like many other technologies today.
Ultrasound education is a continuously growing field, with a wide variety of application in virtually all fields of medicine. While this holds true, integration into PA programs has been a continual issue.4 The novelty of ultrasound has led to a lack of guidelines surrounding education, integration, and assessment. Due to this lack, many schools are left to formulate curricula based on their own research. Standardizing these components of ultrasound would form a strong base for programs to expand from.
The literature also continued to point out barriers like machine availability, faculty expertise and teaching ability, and curricular space. While many of these issues were given solutions in the research, none of which were concrete in solving issues like funding. Funding plays a huge role in a program’s access to ultrasound, seeing as even low-end machines run anywhere from $2,400 - $10,000. Budget also determines if the program can either hire outside sources or send their instructors to programs built for teaching educators.
This project focuses on reviewing current literature regarding ultrasound education in PA programs, as well as assessing current PA students use of extracurricular resources to supplement their ultrasound learning.
Publication Date
5-16-2025
Citation Information
Conrad, Macklin and Bjornson, Adam, "Ultrasound Education for Physician’s Assistants: Where does it stand?" (2025). Student Works Physician Assistant. 90.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/stu_pa/90
