Author(s): Sebastian Salazar and Johanna Bedoy

Area of Concentration: Medical Education 

Keywords: POCUS, Ultrasound education, Abdominal imaging 

Background/Objectives: Accurate abdominal assessment is a cornerstone of clinical decision-making, yet traditional physical examination techniques are often limited by inter-user variability and patient-specific factors such as body habitus or pain. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) offers a powerful adjunct by providing real-time visualization of abdominal organs, enhancing diagnostic precision and confidence at the bedside. Despite its growing relevance in clinical practice, many medical trainees and novice providers lack access to structured, practical, and beginner-focused ultrasound training. This gap underscores the need for accessible, high-quality educational resources that demystify core abdominal ultrasound techniques, particularly for evaluating the liver, gallbladder, and kidneys. Our proposed video series aims to meet this need by delivering targeted, step-by-step instruction designed specifically for early learners in ultrasound.

Abstract:

The abdominal physical examination is foundational to clinical practice but can be limited in accuracy by user variability and patient limitations. POCUS can bridge the gap by offering real-time visualization of various organs being examined. To address the growing need for effective ultrasound education, this project aims to develop a 3-part video series on how to perform ultrasounds on the liver, gallbladder, and kidneys, specifically aimed at novice ultrasound users.

Design: A 3-part video series was filmed in which we show how to ultrasound the liver, gallbladder, and kidneys. There are cases integrated into the videos that make them clinically relevant and attractive to students. Each video also has various images of normal vs pathological findings on ultrasound. All videos were filmed on iPhones and edited on iMovie. 

Future Implications/Next Steps:  This video series represents the foundation of a broader educational initiative aimed at increasing access to high-quality, practical ultrasound instruction. Building on the initial modules, future phases of the project will expand to include additional organ systems and clinical scenarios—such as bladder assessment, aorta screening, and focused cardiac and pulmonary ultrasound. These expanded modules will further equip novice providers with the skills necessary for comprehensive point-of-care evaluation across a range of clinical settings. Additionally, we hope to implement a structured evaluation process to assess the efficacy of the video series. This will include pre- and post-intervention assessments of learner confidence, knowledge retention, and image acquisition skills. The insights gained from this data will inform iterative improvements to the series and support the development of evidence-based best practices in ultrasound education. Ultimately, our long-term goal is to create a scalable, data-driven ultrasound education platform that supports learners from foundational skill-building through advanced clinical application.