Value of participating in an Ultrasound Course during residency?

[Captopril]

A friend of mine who is in Pulm/CC fellowship has recommended the Critical Care Ultrasound course offered by the American College of Chest Physicians at their HQ near Chicago. I'm currently in IM residency and my PD has set up our own in-house Ultrasound course this year but it will not carry an official certification like the CHEST course will.

My question is...is it worth the $$$ (roughly $2k with all tuition and travel) to take the official CHEST course? Will it boost my Pulm/CC app siginificantly to be certified by an organization like ACCP?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Leo Spaceman]

I asked this exact question of our Pulm/CC PD because I've heard the course is good, and his opinion was that I probably shouldn't bother spending all that $$$ prior to starting fellowship (though I'm still very tempted) and that you don't need official certification to be able to use it; only to bill probably, and as long as you have the know-how and use it regularly, you could probably wait to be 'certified'. What it would do to your CV would probably also depend on all the 'other' stuff on there. I don't know what your in-house US program is like - it it's half-decent you could wait. On the other hand, if you can use your educational allowance/travel funds, I'd say IMHO go for it!

 

[Captopril]

Definitely gonna use whatever part of my educational fund I can...but will likely still spend about $1000 out of pocket. I think it will serve more as a CV builder to augment my fellowship application. My PD thinks I'm nuts for spending the time and money on the course, but you gotta dream big!

 

[jdh71]

I wouldn't spend the money. Plus. I don't think it helps an application that much.

 

[mrpankration]

I took the exact you are mentioning this past April. I am a hospitalist and my group paid for the course and all related expenses in full. It was a great course and I certainly learned a lot, though keep in mind, I had no real prior bedside ultrasound training. That being said, I did it strictly for my own learning and skill acquisition as it is something that I incorporate into my hospitalist practice where I can. I don't think it makes one ounce of difference on a fellowship application. I didn't see a relevant spot on the ERAS app to put it in and thus far in my fellowship interviews I haven't even really had a relevant opportunity to bring it up in discussion. Like Leo correctly stated, the certification is only needed for billing. What you should also know about certification is that it requires you to take the whole series of courses they have, which are multiple and many more thousands of dollars. They also tell you explicitly when you are there at the basic ultrasound course that if you are planning on doing fellowship, then you should NOT do the certification program because fellowship will automatically qualify you to be credentialed to do bedside ultrasound in most institutions. Especially if you have an in-house training program in your residency to teach you the basics, you do not need this course and I would certainly not spend the money to do it.

 

[Captopril]

Wow @mrpankration thanks a lot for that detailed and specific reply. Nice to hear the perspective of someone in my exact situation.

 

[mrpankration]

Sure thing, hopefully it was helpful.