2013: Year of Ultrasound (YOU) is a campaign designed to promote the widespread integration of ultrasound throughout the entire spectrum of medical school, allied health, and postgraduate medical education. More...

Innovative Ways to Integrate Ultrasound into your Practice

The Sound Judgment Series in the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine consists of articles highlighting the clinical value of using ultrasound first for conditions in which other cross-sectional imaging modalities are also likely to be considered. This series is meant to serve as an educational tool for medical and sonography students and clinical practitioners and may help integrate ultrasound into clinical practice.

12 Ways YOU Can Make Ultrasound First in 2013

1. Hold a course or session on a point-of-care ultrasound application at your primary society's annual meeting.
2. Encourage the addition of ultrasound into your medical school's curriculum (alumni and professors).
3. Perform a research study to measure competence of individuals who use 1 or more point-of-care ultrasound applications.
4. Involve public officials such as mayors, governors, and state legislators. Let them help you make 2013: the Year of Ultrasound a newsworthy event in your city or state by issuing an official proclamation.
5. Write and submit an article to your primary society's journal that focuses on one clinical problem and describes the use of ultrasound, in contrast to other diagnostic tests, to solve that problem.
6. Share how ultrasound has helped the bottom line in your institution.
7. Mentor a colleague on an ultrasound application.
8. Encourage Grand Rounds on Point-of-Care ultrasound.
9. Develop and share curriculum ideas.
10. Start a journal club focusing on articles that show how ultrasound has provided early detection of an asymptomatic disease condition.
11. Share how ultrasound has been used to confirm or reject findings from a physical examination.
12. Post your stories about using ultrasound in the patient exam or screening, especially for abnormalities that would normally be delayed until symptoms are present.