Mission

To provide Emergency and Primary Care Physicians with the knowledge and skills to perform point of care ultrasound both in the hospital and in the austere, resource limited settings expanding their ability to provide exceptional care to patients.

Vision

To produce the Army’s best point of care ultrasound physicians.

Aims

• Provide instruction and hands-on application of point of care ultrasound.
• Provide instruction and professional development in teaching and learning.
• Provide instruction and experience in patient safety and equipment management.

The fellowship provides 2.5 hours of dedicated didactic time weekly with the fellow covering Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) knowledge and skills, assigned reading reviews, medical literature review of ultrasound use, and quality assurance reviews in image acquisition and interpretation.

• The CRDAMC Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Fellowship (AEMUS) program is 12 months in length and follows the training requirements outlined by the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Accreditation Council (EUFAC).
• Fellowship is divided into 13 blocks over the course of the year with dedicated curriculum, reading, and scanning shifts each block.
• Fellows will have the opportunity to attend ultrasound training events as part of their required curriculum to further enhance their Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) knowledge and skills. Likewise, fellows will lead workshops at CRDAMC and at medical conferences.

There are no designated elective rotations at this time but there are opportunities to create electives, depending on the fellow’s interests and the availability of the learning experience.

• The fellow does not take call.
• Hours are generally 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Emergency Medicine Fellow works 4-8 nine-hour shifts per month as a staff physician in the Emergency Department, supervising Emergency Medicine residents
• Fellows from Internal Medicine, Family Medicine or Pediatrics work one to two half days per week in their clinic and will do one to two weeks of inpatient medicine during the year to maintain their specialty skills.

The fellowship regularly seeks out opportunities to demonstrate the application of POCUS on the battlefield, in austere environments, and at far-forward facilities. The fellowship does through training engagements with operational units at Fort Cavazos and other military bases, and by providing workshops at military-related conferences and training programs.

The fellow participates in the annual Joint Emergency Medicine Exercise (JEMX) as a trainer of Army, Navy, and Air Force medical personnel in the uses of POCUS within combat operations. JEMX also affords the fellow the opportunity to participate in military training planning, as well as see the demonstration of patient care across the echelons of care on the battlefield.

The fellow will be supervised, taught, and mentored by experienced emergency medicine physicians who have vast experiences in operational medicine.

• Critical Care
• Musculoskeletal

The fellow will attend courses that utilize simulation and cadavers. The fellow also has access to the CRDAMC Simulation Center for ultrasound and procedural training.

The fellow is provided progressive leadership responsibilities regarding teaching, providing hands-on courses at CRDAMC and at other conferences, and in shaping point of care ultrasound usage within the department and hospital. Fellows may also participate in CRDAMC’s robust faculty development program to advance their skills as educators and academic leaders.

There are robust research and scholarly activity opportunities available for publication and presentation with faculty and residents. Fellows and faculty continue to produce significant scholarly activities including posters, presentations/lectures, national conference instruction, and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

The fellow will participate in quality improvement initiatives within the department to ensure patient safety as well as improve patient care specifically as it related to point of care ultrasound.

Fellows receive training in the quality assurance and quality improvement process at the beginning of their fellowship tenure. All feedback pertinent to fellows or the application of point of care ultrasound is shared and reviewed with fellows and ultrasound faculty.

The fellow may attend a professional conference during training when presenting a scholarly activity. Fellows will have the opportunity for professional growth through formal and Informal mentoring, faculty development, and leadership opportunities within the department.

Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center

Our program does not offer rotations at this time.

If you would like to schedule an interview with our program, please contact dha.cavazos.darnall-amc.list.crdamc-adv-em-us@health.mil.

Program graduates take the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) exam for a Focused Practice Designation in Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasonography. This exam is offered bi-annually in even years. To be eligible to take specialty board exams, graduates must complete all pre-requisites required by the ABEM prior to December 31 the year before the exam is offered. Board eligibility is described on the ABEM website. This board is open to board certified Emergency Physicians.

• Emergency Medicine Residency – multiple ultrasound workshops throughout the year.
• Special Operations Medical Association (SOMA) – Ultrasound Course.
• Joint Emergency Medicine Exercise – Ultrasound Lane.
• EM Intern Orientation Ultrasound Course.

Teaching combat medics, paramedics, Emergency Medicine-Physician Assistant residents, Physician Assistant students, and Family Medicine residents.

Our faculty have subspecialty training in Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasound.

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

Faculty and fellows are encouraged to pursue work-life balance and all schedules are adjusted accordingly. The program director regularly checks-in with fellows to ensure their homelife, family, mental health, and physical health needs are supported. Fellows are routinely encouraged to notify program leadership of any necessary scheduling changes or other support necessary to promote holistic wellbeing.