From Fundamentals to Real-Time Decision Making
Point-of-care ultrasound has transformed emergency medicine.
But for many clinicians, there remains a gap.
A gap between:
- Knowing how to obtain an image
- And knowing how to use that image to make confident clinical decisions
The DevelopingEM 2026 Advanced Ultrasound Workshop is designed to close that gap.
This is not a beginner course.
It is not a purely advanced course either.
It is something more useful:
A progressive, adaptive, hands-on ultrasound experience that meets you where you are—and takes you further.
A Different Approach to Ultrasound Education
Most ultrasound courses follow a fixed structure.
This one does not.
The DevelopingEM ultrasound workshop is deliberately designed to be:
- Adaptive to participant skill level
- Heavily hands-on
- Focused on clinical integration rather than image collection
Before the workshop, participants will complete a pre-course questionnaire, allowing faculty to:
- Assess baseline skill levels
- Identify learning needs
- Tailor the program accordingly
By the end of Day 1, faculty will reassess the group and may:
- Split Day 2 into separate streams (beginner vs intermediate/advanced)
This ensures:
Every participant is challenged at the right level.
Day 1: From Fundamentals to Advanced Cardiac and Shock Assessment
Day 1 begins with a critical concept:
The basics are not separate from advanced ultrasound—they are the foundation of it.
Building From First Principles
The opening session revisits:
- eFAST
- Aorta
- Basic cardiac echo
- Lung ultrasound
But with a different lens:
- How do these expand into advanced practice?
- How do they guide real clinical decisions?
Hands-On From the Start
Very quickly, the workshop moves into:
- Small group scanning
- High participant-to-machine engagement
- Repeated hands-on exposure
Participants rotate through stations designed to:
- Reinforce fundamentals
- Extend into more advanced applications
This is not passive learning.
It is:
Scan → interpret → adjust → repeat
Advanced Cardiac Ultrasound and Shock
The second half of Day 1 focuses on:
- Advanced cardiac views
- Quantitative assessment
- Shock protocols (RUSH / SLICE)
These are the moments where ultrasound truly changes care:
- Differentiating shock states
- Guiding resuscitation
- Supporting critical decisions
Extensive hands-on scanning ensures these skills are:
- Practised
- Refined
- Embedded
Dynamic Course Design
At the end of Day 1, faculty meet to:
- Review participant performance
- Identify skill groupings
- Customise Day 2 delivery
This is a key differentiator of the course.
Day 2: Expanding Scope, Increasing Complexity
Day 2 is where the workshop broadens significantly—both in scope and clinical relevance.
Procedural Ultrasound: Safety and Precision
The day begins with:
- Ultrasound-guided procedural techniques
Including:
- Nerve blocks
- Anatomical identification
- Real-time guidance
Participants then practise:
- On models
- On live volunteers
This bridges the gap between:
- Knowing anatomy
- Performing procedures safely
Advanced Abdominal Ultrasound (Beyond eFAST)
Participants move beyond trauma-focused scanning into:
- Comprehensive abdominal assessment
- Paediatric abdominal ultrasound
This is particularly relevant for:
- Clinicians working without immediate radiology support
- Resource-variable environments
Early Pregnancy Ultrasound: Avoiding Critical Errors
A dedicated session focuses on:
How not to get early pregnancy wrong
This is one of the highest-risk areas in emergency ultrasound.
Participants learn:
- Key diagnostic pitfalls
- Safe decision-making frameworks
- Integration with clinical assessment
With hands-on practice using:
- Volunteers
- Real patient scenarios where possible
Expanding Into MSK, Soft Tissue and Specialty Applications
The updated program significantly expands scope to include:
- MSK ultrasound
- Soft tissue scanning
- DVT assessment
- Ocular ultrasound
- Second and third trimester pregnancy
These are highly practical, high-yield applications:
- Frequently encountered
- Often under-taught
- Immediately useful in ED practice
Extended Hands-On Integration
The final session of the workshop is dedicated to:
- Consolidated scanning across all domains
Participants practise:
- Cardiac
- Abdominal
- Pregnancy
- MSK
- Soft tissue
- Ocular
With:
- Real-time feedback
- Skill-level appropriate supervision
- Exposure to varied patient types
What Makes This Workshop Different
1. Truly Hands-On
A large proportion of the course is spent:
- Scanning
- Not watching
2. Adaptive Learning Model
The course changes based on:
- Participant needs
- Skill level
- Real-time performance
3. Broad Clinical Scope
From:
- Shock
To: - Pregnancy
- MSK
- Procedural guidance
4. Real-World Focus
Everything is framed around:
How does this change what I do next?
Why This Matters Now
Ultrasound is no longer optional in emergency medicine.
Clinicians are expected to:
- Diagnose shock at the bedside
- Guide procedures safely
- Assess pathology in real time
- Work independently of formal imaging
At the same time:
- Training pathways remain variable
- Confidence levels vary widely
This workshop addresses that gap directly.
What You Take Back to Your ED
After completing this course, you will:
- Scan with greater confidence
- Interpret findings more accurately
- Integrate ultrasound into decision-making
- Expand your scope of practice
Most importantly:
You will use ultrasound not just to see—but to decide.
Saint Lucia: Learning in a Global Context
Delivered in Saint Lucia, this workshop brings together:
- International faculty
- Clinicians from diverse systems (half of the delegates will be supported regional clinicians)
- Shared learning across different environments
This adds something powerful:
Perspective.
So Join Us in Saint Lucia
The Advanced Ultrasound Workshop is one of the most in-demand components of DevelopingEM 2026.
Places are limited to preserve:
- Hands-on time
- Faculty access
- Learning quality
If you want to take your ultrasound practice to the next level—
This is where to do it.
