Course Overview
Focus on POCUS: Ultrasound for the Acutely Ill Patient teaches the basics of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Our experienced group of instructors will help you learn lung, cardiac, and abdominal ultrasound, and how to use ultrasound to guide procedures. You will have an opportunity to obtain 15-20 proctored ultrasounds on standardized patients, as well as proctored procedural practice time.
Course highlights:
- Develop skills in ultrasound image acquisition and interpretation for cardiac, lung, and abdominal structures
- Learn how to use point of care ultrasound to reach vascular targets
- See how point of care ultrasound can help identify causes of shock states and respiratory failure
Bonus content: In addition to the unique blend of hands-on and lecture-based instruction participants experience live during the course, we also provide four hours of in-depth asynchronous learning, including best practices in POCUS, approach to shock with POCUS, evidence-based POCUS, and how to optimize your POCUS exam.
Audience: Enrollment is open to physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) at UW Health and beyond but is limited to 24 participants.
CME/CEUs: The UW–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership will award continuing education credit dependent upon individual participation in this program.
“Excellent refresher for me, as well as providing me with new skills like cardiac echo basics.”
“Very knowledgeable, patient and energetic faculty.”
Course Schedule
March 6, 2026
| Time | Topic |
| 8:00-8:30 | Welcome and POCUS intro |
| 8:30-9:45 | Lectures: Lung and cardiac ultrasound |
| 9:45-10:00 | 15 min break |
| 10:00-12:00 | Hands-on practice: Lung and cardiac ultrasound |
| 12:00-1:00 | Lunch & Lectures: • Clinical management of POCUS • Critical abdominal cases |
| 1:00-1:30 | Lecture: Basic abdominal ultrasound |
| 1:30-3:00 | Hands-on practice: Basic abdominal ultrasound |
| 3:00-3:15 | 15 min break |
| 3:15-3:45 | Lecture: Macro- and microskills of ultrasound guided procedures |
| 3:45-5:00 | Hands-on practice: Procedure on phantom trainers |
Reviewing the prepared asynchronous material for cardiac, lung, and DVT ultrasound prior to course is highly recommended. Supplemental content will be made available after the course for additional learning.
*Lunch is provided. Breakfast, coffee and tea are available for purchase in the hospital cafeteria.
Course Rees & Registration
Course fees:
- UW Health physician or APP: $599
- UW Health resident or fellow: $499
- Non-UW Health clinician: $999
Course location: UW Health Clinical Simulation Program, University Hospital, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792 (directions)
Registration: The next course will be held on Friday, March 6, 2026. To be notified when registration opens, please complete our course interest form.
"The faculty group was excellent and very interested in making sure the participants were getting comfortable with the procedure…Overall an excellent course, Looking forward to the next one."
Course participant
