Echocardiography Training at RNSH ICU
Royal North Shore ICU offers the opportunity to enrol into the Bedside Cardiac Ultrasound (BCU) training program. This is a structured and comprehensive basic level training program hosted within our department and designed to meet the new CICM requirements for Specialist training in Intensive Care Medicine.
The training is relevant to all trainees interested in Critical Care specialities including ED. You will receive a certificate after successful completion of the program. It also offers the possibility to obtain the widely recognised certificates from ASUM (Australasian Society for Ultrasound Medicine).
Who is it for?
The program is available for trainees with limited or no prior echo experience. In order to achieve a minimum level of training, this program is recommended to trainees who will stay at RNSH ICU for 6-12 months or more.
What does it consist of, and what am I expected to do?
Introductory course, lectures & theory: a series of online lectures and pre-reading material is followed by a day of lectures and hands-on experience. Question and answer sessions will check your knowledge and progression.
Hands-on sessions: regular bedside small group sessions.
Formative assessments: privileged one-on-one bedside sessions where you will review the skills you have acquired and the areas you need to improve on. These are augmented by further online assessment and finally, a “Pathology Day” where you will be assessed on your interpretation of pathological echo cases.
Self-learning: you are expected to perform studies on your own between the hands-on sessions. The studies must be stored and recorded so they can be reviewed by your supervisor, and be included in your log book.
Meetings and review sessions: review sessions are organized weekly. Inter-hospital ICU echo meetings are organised regularly between RNSH, St Vincent’s Hospital and St George Hospital.
More information and how to enrol
For more information and to get started contact Dr Pierre Janin, Dr Wade Stedman, Dr Alun Ellis, A/Prof Sharon Kay or Louise Morris
More detailed information about the program can be found in the Starter pack which you can download here.
Echo Specialist Review Sessions
One of the Echo Specialists is always available to review echocardiograms that have been performed by trainees, or if there is a clinical question that needs clarification with an echo.
They are also available to perform urgent scans in the department as necessary.
When on non-clinical, the echo review Specialist may also be available to provide clinical review sessions for motivated trainees – these can be arranged in small groups.
We encourage trainees to use this resource.
