Ultrasound fellowship program

Introduction

The Department of Emergency Medicine at Palmetto Health Richland has been a leader in emergency ultrasound since 1997. Residents in our emergency medicine program are trained in the use of ultrasound to facilitate the diagnosis and management of a wide variety of serious and life-threatening pathologies.

The mission of the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship is to develop highly motivated emergency physicians into future educators and researchers with expertise in the wide application of ultrasound technology to direct patient care. Working closely with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, the curriculum not only provides fellows with the opportunity to work side-by-side with experts in emergency ultrasound, echocardiography, and vascular ultrasound, but also develop educational skills through lecturing and bed side teaching to residents, medical students, and practicing physicians. Unique to this experience is that the fellow will be an integral component to the development and function of the clinical ultrasound curriculum at the USC School of Medicine.

To achieve these goals, we offer the following:

  • State-of-the-art facilities
  • Dedicated support on the department, hospital, and university levels
  • Four ultrasound systems
  • Nationally recognized leaders in emergency ultrasound
  • Great compensation and benefits
  • Tremendous opportunities for travel with national and international exposure to other leaders in emergency ultrasound

 

 
Fellowship Details

Length of Training

The fellowship will be twelve months in length. The start date is negotiable, but will typically begin on or about 1 July of each year.

Applicant Qualifications

All applicants must have graduated from an ACGME accredited emergency medicine residency and be board-certified or board-eligible with the American Board of Emergency Medicine. In addition, the applicant must qualify for South Carolina Medical Licensure. Applicants must complete an application and submit three letters of recommendation for training. One of these letters must be from the applicant’s residency program director. Applicants are not required to have prior experience with clinical ultrasound use, but previous experience will be considered in the selection process.

Fellowship applications will be accepted after September 1 of the year preceding the year of training. An interview is required prior to selection for training. Selection for training is determined by the emergency department faculty.

Completion of Training

Upon completion of training the fellow will receive a certificate of fellowship training from Palmetto Health Richland and the University of South Carolina.



Fellowship Staff

Patrick Hunt, MD, MBA
Fellowship Program Director
Year of appointment: 1999
EM Residency: Palmetto Health, Class of 1999
Medical School: University of North Carolina, Class of 1996

  

Thomas Cook, MD
Program Director
Year of appointment: 1996
EM Residency: Darnall Army Hospital, Class of 1993
Medical School: University of Virginia, Class of 1990

  

Michael Wade, MD
Core Faculty
Year of appointment: 1991
EM Residency: Palmetto Health, Class of 1991
Medical School: Medical University of SC, Class of 1986

  

 

 

 

 

  

Fellow Class of 2007

    

   

Hunter Louis, MD
Ultrasound Fellow
Medical School: University of Louisville
Class of 2003

    

Fellow Class of 2008

    

   

Matthew Ahern, DO
Ultrasound Fellow
Medical School: Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Class of 2003

    

Fellow Class of 2009

    

Jeremy Johnson, DO
Ultrasound Fellow
Medical School: Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine,
Class of 2002

James Palma, MD
Ultrasound Fellow
Medical School: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine

Richard Preston Wendell, MD
Ultrasound Fellow
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, College of Medicine
Class of 2005

 

Curriculum Objectives

  • Develop clinical expertise in EUS
  • All primary applications of EUS
  • Secondary applications including:
    • Ultrasound-guided procedures
    • Critical Care ultrasound
    • Advanced Cardiac
    • Pulmonary
    • Musculoskeletal
    • Vascular ultrasound
  • Develop educational skills to instruct clinicians in ultrasound techniques
    • Educational software skills
    • Video and Image management skills
    • Public speaking
  • Develop administrative skills to direct EUS program
    • Image archiving
    • Physician credentials
    • Equipment maintenance
    • Curriculum development
  • Involvement with National Organizations that promote EUS
    • American College of Emergency Physicians
    • Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
    • American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine

Responsibilities

  • Ultrasound Examinations
    • Perform a minimum of 800 reviewed studies over the course of fellowship
    • Monthly shift with echocardiology
    • Monthly shift with vascular ultrasound
  • American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonograhers Certification (ARDMS)
    • Physics
    • Instrumentation
    • Abdomen
    • One other area of choice
  • Research
    • One original research project ultimately resulting in publication & presentation in which the fellow is first author
  • Education and Lectures
    • One original lecture for presentation to residency
    • Monthly M&M CQI case related to ultrasound
    • Semi-annual lecture to USCSOM students
    • Annual journal club assignment (with EUSF director)
    • Optional participation in outside CME course (The Emergency Ultrasound Course)
  • Clinical Instruction
    • Sixteen hours per month of bedside instruction in the emergency department
      EM resident on ultrasound rotation
      USC medical students on ultrasound rotation
  • Quarterly skills lab with USCSOM medical student
  • Sixty-six hours per month as clinical attending in the emergency department
  • Administrative Duties
    • Departmental ultrasound QA and exam review
    • Working with EUSF director to administer resident EUS rotation
    • Scheduling
    • Resident and Medical Student Testing Professional Organization Participation
    • Attendance at the following national meetings (funded by program)
      American College of Emergency Physicians
      Society of Academic Emergency Medicine
      American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
  • Resources

    Ultrasound Equipment
    • Sonosite M-Turbo (2 systems)
    • Sonosite MICORMAXX (1 systems)
    • General Electric Logiq e (2 systems)
    • Ultrasonix CEP (1 system) Office Facilities


      Department of Emergency Medicine – Palmetto Health Richland
    • Fellowship Office
    • Education Assessment Center – USC School of Medicine Campus
      • Clinical Ultrasound Training Center

Compensation

  • Competitive Salary
  • Palmetto Health physician-in-training standard benefits
  • Funding for travel to ACEP, SAEM, AIUM National Meeting