Standardizing POCUS Competency Among Emergency Medicine Physician Associates

Authors

• Christina Carlo, University of LynchburgFollow

Specialty

Emergency Medicine

Advisor

Dr. Joshua D. Greenstein, MD

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate how point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education can impact competency and confidence in clinical practice for emergency medicine (EM) physician associates (PAs). This literature review identifies a disparity in the current evidence of standardized training and educational curriculum among PAs in comparison to that of EM residents. This study aims to serve as a foundation for establishing evidence-based educational and clinical guidelines to create uniform ultrasound training among EM PAs. POCUS is a quick, non-invasive, affordable, bedside tool that providers may use as an adjunct to a traditional physical exam that can ultimately guide clinical management. As ultrasound becomes increasingly utilized in the emergency and critical care setting, the lack of standardized competency allows for decreased trust in EM PAs to practice autonomously. The doubtful stance of governing organizations contributes to the lack of confidence in the capabilities of PAs, from supervising physicians to institution-wide stigmas. Implementation of various educational methods can have an impact on overall clinical outcomes, including diagnostic accuracy and procedural success. A literature search was conducted through PubMed that yielded peer-reviewed studies with applicable information across systematic reviews and surveys, regarding the utilization of POCUS in EM, methods of POCUS education, current standards of training, fellowship opportunities for physicians, and proficiency assessments in POCUS use. Literature revealed that early implementation of POCUS in either school or fellowship training improved patient care and overall patient outcomes. Multimodal training methods, such as tele-education (TE) and conventional education (CE), were effective in teaching POCUS, with no statistically significant differences in their ability to increase provider confidence, image interpretation, or skill scores. This literature review has revealed the importance of standardizing POCUS education as part of the EM PA curriculum to help establish a standard of care for all patients in the acute care setting. POCUS has become an indispensable tool in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of emergency department (ED) patients. Further research is warranted to pursue the development of accessible, multimodal, credentialed standardized training for all EM providers to guarantee successful, equitable patient care.

Recommended Citation

Carlo C. Standardizing POCUS Competency Among Emergency Medicine Physician Associates. University of Lynchburg DMSc Doctoral Project Assignment Repository. 2026; 8(1).