Mission

The SAUSHEC Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship is dedicated to delivering exceptional training in advanced and military-focused point-of-care ultrasound. Our mission is twofold: to enhance the training and utilization of POCUS for all military medical professionals and to continually improve the quality of training in this field. By prioritizing excellence in education and promoting the widespread adoption of POCUS, we aim to empower our military healthcare providers with the necessary skills to deliver optimal care in emergency situations.

Vision

The SAUSHEC Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Fellowship will produce experts in the use of point of care ultrasound within a military setting. These experts will go on to assume leadership roles within the field, spearheading advancements that elevate quality of care for all military members.

Aims

The SAUSHEC Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship trains military providers able to deploy anywhere in the world and establish a point of care ultrasound program to improve medical care in any environment. Through strong relationships with the SAUSHEC Emergency Medicine Residency Program, the Army Medical Center of Excellence and the Uniformed Services University the fellowship provides training in all core ultrasound modalities and the experience of teaching and using these modalities in a wide range of environments.

Quality Assurance

A weekly review of all the ultrasounds conducted in the emergency department. This also includes teaching time for residents currently on the ultrasound rotation as well as the fellows.

Journal Club

Meeting once per month at an off-site location to discuss four to six journal articles related to ultrasound.

Fellow Protected Teaching Time

Time each week set aside and dedicated to the fellow. It is a four-hour block of undivided attention that may include lecture, didactics or hands on scanning in the emergency department.

Study Time

Curriculum with dedicated reading time and question bank access to ensure graduates are proficient in all curriculum components outlined by the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Accreditation Council.

The SAUSHEC Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Fellowship program is 12 months in length and follows the training requirements outlined by the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Accreditation Council.

Fellowship is divided into 11 blocks over the course of the year with dedicated curriculum, reading, and hands on scanning each block.

Cardiology Rotation

Minimum of one week with the cardiology department. Includes scanning with ultrasound technicians to learn techniques for better images as well as rotating with the cardiologist reading echocardiograms as they teach their fellows.

There are no designated elective rotations at this time but if there is an area of ultrasound you are particularly interested in, we will work with you to create a rotation.

The use of ultrasound in far-forward facilities is essential to the care provided to service members during deployment and training in the use of ultrasound is expanding within military medicine. Patients presenting with a traumatic injury often benefit from the use of the Extended Focused Assessment in Trauma, where other modalities such as the focused limited echocardiogram or gastrointestinal ultrasound are essential in the management of medically ill patients.

The Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Fellowship hones skills used in these deployed environments as well as provides training for other military members prior to deployments through simulation training with EM residents as well as other specialties. We also provide didactics training with more than five hands-on grand rounds sessions each year focused on military relevant ultrasound modalities, as well as procedural training at cadaver labs.

• Transeophageal Echocardiogram Course- Resuscitative TEE Course
• ACEP Ultrasound Program Management Course

Fellows plan and direct ultrasound simulation teaching and cases for the residents and medical students.

A robust curriculum for developing leaders in emergency ultrasound and in the military. Opportunities start from day one and increasing levels of responsibility are nurtured over the 12 months of fellowship. The curriculum includes:

• Leadership and team building exercises
• Peer mentorship
• Quarterly program leadership and mentoring sessions
• Progressive leadership responsibilities teaching and providing hands on courses in a variety of settings

There are robust research opportunities available with publications each year. Completing a scholarly project is a requirement for graduation from the fellowship program.

Fellows participate in helping to improve the healthcare system for our patients. Fellows will be educated in quality improvement and patient safety principles through the completion of the SAUSHEC EM QIPS core curriculum.

Funding is provided for fellows to attend at least one professional conference during training when presenting a scholarly activity. Fellows have given national lectures, research podium presentations, held national leadership board positions, and taught procedural courses at the following educational conferences/events:

• American College of Emergency Physicians /Emergency Medicine Resident's Association
• American Academy of Emergency Medicine
• Society of Academic Emergency Medicine
• Government Services Chapter of American College of Emergency Physicians
• Special Operations Medical Association
• Military Health Research Symposium
• Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons
• Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine
• American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
• Air Force Physician Assistant Refresher Course
• Other additional professional societies

Brooke Army Medical Center

Our program currently offers rotations to EMPA fellows at BAMC and are typically four weeks (one block) long and may include clinical shifts, didactic opportunities, and simulation experiences. Rotators participate in the weekly QA sessions and perform numerous scans on emergency department patients during the rotation. Students interested in rotating with our program should contact dha.jbsa.brooke-amc.list.saushec-adv-em-us@health.mil.

The fellowship is primarily available to EM trained Physician Assistants.

Army Active Duty/Guard/Reserve Army (65D) PAs

Application is through the Long Term Health Education and Training Program. Each year, the Army publishes the application process in the LTHET message, which becomes widely disseminated to all Army PAs by the Army PA Consultant. Applicants apply approximately 18 months prior to the expected fellowship start date. Working with the Army PA Consultant and Human Resource Command, the officer applies and selected by a board to attend the fellowship. The application involves a letter of intent and three letters of recommendation.

Air Force or Navy EMPAs

Applicants are welcome to apply from the program perspective however historically have not been able to apply. Interested applicants should first speak with their respective EMPA / PA consultant. Physician Assistants without EM training can also be considered on a case by case basis however competence with all basic modalities of Emergency Ultrasound is highly recommended prior to beginning fellowship.

If you would like to schedule an interview with our program, please contact: dha.jbsa.brooke-amc.list.saushec-adv-em-us@health.mil.

As such there is no specialty board for PAs who have completed the AEMUS fellowship. The opportunity to sit for the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer or other exams through Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement a part of American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography is available.

• Critical Care Flight Paramedic- Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma teaching
• American Academy of Emergency Medicine – Ultrasound Course and or podium lectures/abstracts
• Special Operations Medical Association – Ultrasound Course
• Joint Services Symposium on Emergency Medicine – Ultrasound Course
• Air Force Physician Assistant Refresher Course – Ultrasound Course
• Society of Academic Emergency Medicine – Ultrasound Course
• Government Services Chapter of American College of Emergency Physicians – Ultrasound course/lecture
• Honduras- hands on teaching and lecturing ultrasound at local hospitals
• EM Intern Orientation Ultrasound Course
• Simulation cases with residents
• Emergency Medicine lectures for resident grand rounds

All faculty have subspecialty training in Advanced Emergency Ultrasound.

Mentorship is provided from the faculty. The program has a robust faculty with at least a 1:1 faculty to fellow ratio.

The fellowship program and its curriculum are structured to ensure maximal opportunities for fellow wellness consistently over the course of the 12-month residency. We have worked to consolidate all official activities in such a manner as to maximize off time without reducing the maximal opportunities for training.