In late January the School of Medicine Columbia’s Ultrasound Institute hosted the ACP Ultrathon, an ultrasound-focused event that tested the knowledge and skills of over 100 health care professional and student attendees.
History of the event: Dr. Cara Joseph, a 2022 graduate of the School of Medicine Columbia, and chair of the South Carolina American College of Physicians Council of Resident Members (SC ACP CRM), coordinated the first Ultrathon in 2020 as a second-year medical student. The 2024 event is the first since the inaugural event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
National leader on ultrasound education: From the start of their medical studies, students in the School of Medicine Columbia begin learning to use ultrasound, which can image all major organs, as well as joints and blood vessels, at the bedside. It’s one of the school’s distinctions, being the first institution in the nation to integrate ultrasound instruction into all four years of its medical degree curriculum.
Recapping Ultrathon 2024: Following educational opportunities during the first portion of the day, teams participated in an ultrasound scanning competition in the Ultrasound Institute, as well as a quiz-bowl style event. The scanning stations focused on point of care ultrasound in specific departments, such as cardiology, emergency, musculoskeletal and intensive care. Teaching faculty from Prisma Health Midlands proctored the stations, while Robert Haddad, director of ultrasound education at the School of Medicine, led the quiz-bowl event. Teams came from institutions across the Palmetto State, including Prisma Health Midlands, Prisma Health Upstate, Apogee, Grand Strand, HCA, MUSC, VCOM and both the School of Medicine Columbia and Greenville.
What they’re saying: Dr. Joseph was excited to bring the Ultrathon back to the School of Medicine, and feels the event was a great opportunity for attendees to sharpen their skills:
“We had a great showing, and I’m really excited that we had teams from many institutions across South Carolina participate, including medical students and residents. The purpose of the event was for attendees to hone their ultrasound skills in a fun and interactive environment, with live feedback from attendings and seasoned clinicians. We’ve were able to achieve our goal, and everyone had a great time.”