Dubai: Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) has announced its new one-year programme, the Fundamentals of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certificate, to provide health professionals in the region with the skills to use fundamental ultrasound applications at the point of care effectively.
POCUS has transformed the practice of medicine across many disciplines over the past two decades. It is used as a dynamic diagnostic tool for procedural guidance that is carried out by practitioners at the patient’s bedside.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s “first programme of its kind” is open to health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, and paramedics currently practicing in a clinical setting and have an interest in learning or enhancing their bedside ultrasonography skills.
The one-year programme consists of theoretical knowledge classes, skill-building sessions at MBRU’s Simulation Centre, and practice using diagnostic POCUS skills in the clinical setting. General Electric (GE) Healthcare has sponsored the development of the programme contents carried out by MBRU and the provision of ultrasound machines for the programme.
Programme structure
While theoretical knowledge will be acquired online, learners will spend most of their time practicing the skills in workshops and in their clinical settings. Learners will receive timely feedback from faculty members. The programme is overseen by Dr Rasha Buhumaid, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Programme Director, and MBRU faculty members Dr Rashid Al Sharhan, Dr Ralf Krage, and Dr Paddy Kilian, as well as other leading doctors from UAE-based hospitals.
A written exam and Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) will be held towards the end of the programme at MBRU’s Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Medical Simulation Centre.
“POCUS has gained a lot of popularity over the years as a low-cost, pain-free, and user-friendly technique, making it crucial to train our medical professionals on how to use it properly,” said Professor Sulaiman Alemran, Dean of Postgraduate Medical Education.
“MBRU is now part of the Dubai Academic Health Corporation. The newly established POCUS programme aligns with the Corporation’s strategic priorities to improve health outcomes as well as deliver transformative education and a future-ready workforce. I invite the healthcare community in the emirate and the region to enrol in the programme and take advantage of the expertise it provides,” he added.
Evolving industry
Dr Rasha Buhumaid, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and the Program Director, said: “MBRU has introduced a certificate programme in POCUS as the method is being adopted across disciplines and there is a growing demand for skill development among the active healthcare community in the UAE. The programme will assist hospitals, clinics, and the larger healthcare community in keeping up with the rapidly evolving industry.”
Dr Rasha added: “Medical professionals must be careful when assessing product capabilities because POCUS devices vary; some have more advanced features and functionalities than others. These kinds of programmes will help them understand the advantages and applications of the technology.”
