Ultrasound and Procedure resources for med students

[AthleteDoc7]

Hey all. So i’m doing an away sub-I right now (my first after my home which didn’t see much cool stuff), and while it’s going very well thus far, i’ve noticed a clear gap in my own knowledge when it comes to ultrasound and various procedures (LPs, arthrocentesis, a lines, etc.). Like with ultrasound I guess my school never taught a damn thing because half the time a resident points a structure out and says “oh that’s the patellar tendon” or something I don’t even know what they’re looking at because it all looks the same, and I need to improve asap. It’s just not something I was ever exposed much to and it’s obviously extremely important in EM, so I’m making it my goal to get semi competent asap.

So my question for y’all is, what are the best online resources for learning ultrasound from scratch? I’d even be willing to pay for something good that can walk me through basic technique and the anatomy of commonly encountered things in EM (FAST exam, joints, lung, etc.). That’s really what I’m looking for.

I’d also like some resources for learning the proper steps and techniques for common EM procedures. I’m sure most will say to just youtube or whatever but I’m wondering if there are better more organized resources out there. Thanks everyone!

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[alpinism]

Don't pay for anything. There's tons of FOAM resources online.

Sinai has some great tutorials on their US division website.

Things like FAST, RUSH, ECHO, OB, abdominal, etc...

Honestly that's all you should know at your level.

Sinai EM Ultrasound

 

[AthleteDoc7]

Don't pay for anything. There's tons of FOAM resources online.

Sinai has some great tutorials on their US division website.

Things like FAST, RUSH, ECHO, OB, abdominal, etc...

Honestly that's all you should know at your level.

Sinai EM Ultrasound

this is awesome, thanks a lot!! anything out there similar for procedures, or is piece-mealing through random videos my best bet?

 

[theseeker4]

this is awesome, thanks a lot!! anything out there similar for procedures, or is piece-mealing through random videos my best bet?

The biggest thing with Ultrasound, like pretty much all other imaging modalities, is exposure. The more you see, the more you will learn. So when you are at home, basically search ultrasound EM on youtube and there are a bunch of videos to watch there. When you are in the hospital and you are not doing much, take the US into the abdominal pain or chest pain or SOB patient, and just start scanning. You don't need to know specifically what you are seeing 100% of the time, but after watching a youtube video or googling it, you should be able to recognize B lines vs A lines, be able to tell good contractility from poor contractility, and know where to find the gall bladder, etc. Every patient you scan, even if stone cold normal, is teaching you something, as you should be starting to recognize structures, how to hold the probe, tricks to finding the proper window, etc.

Regarding specific videos or resources, literally anything that shows you what a parasternal long axis view, for example, is and where to find it and what you should be seeing is good for you to review. At your level you want to be able to find the basic views and know what you are seeing, interpreting subtle findings you will start learning as a resident.

Regarding procedures, search youtube for the procedure and there are usually several different videos to review. No one is going to send you in to do an LP on your own, but if you watch enough videos and can describe what you need to do, start to finish, how to prep, the landmarks you are finding, etc. you will be more likely allowed to do something with supervision. Good luck!

 

[AthleteDoc7]

The biggest thing with Ultrasound, like pretty much all other imaging modalities, is exposure. The more you see, the more you will learn. So when you are at home, basically search ultrasound EM on youtube and there are a bunch of videos to watch there. When you are in the hospital and you are not doing much, take the US into the abdominal pain or chest pain or SOB patient, and just start scanning. You don't need to know specifically what you are seeing 100% of the time, but after watching a youtube video or googling it, you should be able to recognize B lines vs A lines, be able to tell good contractility from poor contractility, and know where to find the gall bladder, etc. Every patient you scan, even if stone cold normal, is teaching you something, as you should be starting to recognize structures, how to hold the probe, tricks to finding the proper window, etc.

Regarding specific videos or resources, literally anything that shows you what a parasternal long axis view, for example, is and where to find it and what you should be seeing is good for you to review. At your level you want to be able to find the basic views and know what you are seeing, interpreting subtle findings you will start learning as a resident.

Regarding procedures, search youtube for the procedure and there are usually several different videos to review. No one is going to send you in to do an LP on your own, but if you watch enough videos and can describe what you need to do, start to finish, how to prep, the landmarks you are finding, etc. you will be more likely allowed to do something with supervision. Good luck!

another incredible response, thanks a lot for taking the time! will certainly make it a priority to do all these things

 

[DocRPP]

For procedures, I really like EM:RAP HD videos for their brevity. Dr Jess Mason, in particular, is amazing at presenting things in a short and memorable format. Access to EM: RAP is one of the best things about being an EMRA member.

 

[deleted547339]

The good news is that there is one really great resource that will be available to you in the near future where you can learn US and procedures: residency.

Seriously, don’t sweat it. When I started residency I had only done one month of EM. I was incredibly book smart but was completely lost in the ER. Thankfully I matched well because of boards and grades, but after a month or two of residency, you couldn’t have been able to tell which of my coresidents did 4 months of EM and read a lot of EM specific stuff and which didn’t.

You’ll be fine.

 

[DrOMG]

highlandultrasound.com/

is used by a lot of our EM-US fellows. Very user friendly

 

[AthleteDoc7]

love the support in this section of the forums (aka why EM peeps are the best). thanks to all for the great tips and encouraging words

 

[Tenk]

YouTube.com

 

[WernickeDO]

Hey all. So i’m doing an away sub-I right now (my first after my home which didn’t see much cool stuff), and while it’s going very well thus far, i’ve noticed a clear gap in my own knowledge when it comes to ultrasound and various procedures (LPs, arthrocentesis, a lines, etc.). Like with ultrasound I guess my school never taught a damn thing because half the time a resident points a structure out and says “oh that’s the patellar tendon” or something I don’t even know what they’re looking at because it all looks the same, and I need to improve asap. It’s just not something I was ever exposed much to and it’s obviously extremely important in EM, so I’m making it my goal to get semi competent asap.

So my question for y’all is, what are the best online resources for learning ultrasound from scratch? I’d even be willing to pay for something good that can walk me through basic technique and the anatomy of commonly encountered things in EM (FAST exam, joints, lung, etc.). That’s really what I’m looking for.

I’d also like some resources for learning the proper steps and techniques for common EM procedures. I’m sure most will say to just youtube or whatever but I’m wondering if there are better more organized resources out there. Thanks everyone!

I like the SonoSupport app. It's $9.99 and works on iOS and Android. It goes through all the studies and discusses relevant anatomy, where to put the probe, what kind of probe to use, what normal looks like, what pathology looks like.

If you're a big spender you could buy the Manual of Emergency and Critical Care US, or just check it out from the medical library if you don't want to spend $50. I assume the library would allow you to borrow a book even as a visiting student.

You could also ask for access to whatever teaching site the program uses, like emsono.com. The residency may have a guest login for you to use or can arrange for you to have limited access.

Finally, check out the free ultrasound podcast. Some of the earlier intro episodes have good basic information.

Good luck.

 

[AthleteDoc7]

I like the SonoSupport app. It's $9.99 and works on iOS and Android. It goes through all the studies and discusses relevant anatomy, where to put the probe, what kind of probe to use, what normal looks like, what pathology looks like.

If you're a big spender you could buy the Manual of Emergency and Critical Care US, or just check it out from the medical library if you don't want to spend $50. I assume the library would allow you to borrow a book even as a visiting student.

You could also ask for access to whatever teaching site the program uses, like emsono.com. The residency may have a guest login for you to use or can arrange for you to have limited access.

Finally, check out the free ultrasound podcast. Some of the earlier intro episodes have good basic information.

Good luck.

HOLY COW THAT APP IS AMAZING!! how has no one ever mentioned it to me?? legit so glad i posted this just for that. amazing recommendation thank you!