Transthoracic Echocardiography Course (ECHO - Uset advanced)

Description (Practical Course): This workshop is a one-morning symposium directed to anesthesiologists, emergency medicine physicians, surgeons, intensivists, and nurse practitioners interested in further training in echocardiograms. The course offers the opportunity to learn and perform some of the diagnostic, therapeutic, and prophylactic tools to optimize critically ill and injured patients' management.

The seminar has two parts:

1. The first part of the course is didactic. It consists of two hours of lectures about the physiology of ultrasound, echocardiographic views, and measurements.
2. The second part of the course is a hands-on session. Ideally, there will be a maximum of six students per ultrasound instructor, and we will need the Phased Array probe. The practical training will be in human volunteers from whom we will obtain different visions of the heart.

General Objective: 

Teach the echocardiogram technique to evaluate critically ill patients' fluid status and cardiac function.

Specific Objectives:

1. Discuss the basic principles of ultrasound physics, instrumentation, and image acquisition,
2. Discuss the basic principles of transthoracic echocardiography, instrumentation, standard views, image acquisition, and cardiac measurements,
3. Describe and perform a practical approach to the echocardiographic evaluation of shock and cardiac dysfunction.

Target Audience (who should attend): Trauma Surgeons, General Surgeons, Emergency Physicians, Intensivists, Anesthesiologists, EMS Providers, Residents & Students.

Course Agenda:

Time:                    Activity:                                                                 
08:00 - 08:30        Registration & pretest
08:30 - 09:15        Introduction
09:15 - 10:00        Lung windows
10:00 - 10:15        Break
10:15 - 11:00        Views of echo-evaluation of vena cava
11:00 - 11:30        Case with images
11:30 - 13:30        Hands-on stations
13:30pm - 14:00   Post-test & certification

Manual available in the following languages: English & Spanish, and will be provided to participants onsite.

Pre-Test & Post-Test: Onsite Administration

Evaluation Form: Onsite Administration

Certificate: Onsite Administration (if paid pre-course) or E-mail Administration (if paid post-course).

Course Duration: 1/2 day

Course Director & Faculty:

Paula Ferrada, MD                                                             

paula.ferrada@vcuhealth.org                                                                     

Phone: 804.316.6822

Local Coordinator: Each course will be assigned a coordinator. The course coordinator can be local or international.

Number of Participants: Ratio of instructors to students 1:6