Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training by Kung Medics

Build confidence in the practical use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) for the assessment of acutely unwell and injured patients.

The Core Emergency Ultrasound Level 1 (POCUS) Course by Kung Medics is a practical, hands-on training programme designed for doctors and healthcare professionals who want to develop a structured approach to bedside ultrasound in emergency and acute-care settings.

The course focuses on the core ultrasound skills commonly required when assessing patients in the Emergency Department, Acute Medical Unit, Critical Care environment and other acute clinical areas.

Rather than simply teaching candidates how to obtain an image, the course emphasises how to integrate ultrasound findings with the clinical assessment and use POCUS safely as part of real-time decision-making.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is particularly suitable for:

• Emergency Medicine doctors

• Foundation doctors

• Core and specialty trainees

• Acute Medicine doctors

• Critical Care and Anaesthetic trainees

• General Practice doctors working in urgent care

• International Medical Graduates entering UK clinical practice

• Doctors preparing for MRCEM or FRCEM examinations

• Clinicians beginning their POCUS training

• Doctors who have attended ultrasound teaching previously but lack confidence scanning independently

• Healthcare professionals who want more supervised hands-on ultrasound practice

No advanced ultrasound experience is required.

What You Will Learn

The course introduces a structured approach to core emergency ultrasound and provides extensive opportunity for supervised scanning.

Topics include:

• Basic ultrasound physics

• Understanding ultrasound machine controls

• Probe selection and orientation

• Image optimisation

• Safe and systematic scanning techniques

• Recognising normal anatomy

• Identifying common abnormal findings

• Understanding the limitations of POCUS

• Integrating ultrasound findings with the clinical picture

• Documentation and appropriate escalation of findings

Ultrasound Machine Fundamentals

Candidates learn how to confidently use an ultrasound machine, including:

• Selecting the correct probe

• Adjusting depth

• Adjusting gain

• Optimising image quality

• Understanding probe markers

• Recognising orientation

• Saving and reviewing images

• Using common ultrasound modes appropriately

Developing these basic skills is essential before progressing to clinical scanning.

Focused Assessment of the Abdominal Aorta

Candidates learn how to identify and assess the abdominal aorta using point-of-care ultrasound.

Training includes:

• Locating the abdominal aorta

• Differentiating the aorta from the inferior vena cava

• Scanning in transverse and longitudinal views

• Identifying relevant anatomical landmarks

• Measuring the aortic diameter appropriately

• Recognising appearances that may suggest abdominal aortic aneurysm

Clinical integration and the limitations of bedside ultrasound are discussed throughout.

Focused Assessment for Free Fluid

Candidates are introduced to focused ultrasound assessment for free fluid in appropriate clinical settings.

Training may include:

• Right upper quadrant assessment

• Left upper quadrant assessment

• Pelvic views

• Recognition of potential free fluid

• Understanding common artefacts and pitfalls

• Integrating ultrasound findings with trauma assessment and clinical presentation

Focused Echocardiography

Candidates develop introductory skills in focused cardiac ultrasound.

Training includes obtaining and recognising common views such as:

• Parasternal long-axis view

• Parasternal short-axis view

• Apical view

• Subcostal view

Candidates are introduced to the assessment of:

• Gross ventricular function

• Pericardial fluid

• Cardiac activity during resuscitation

• Significant right ventricular abnormalities

• Overall cardiac appearance in an acutely unwell patient

The course emphasises that focused POCUS does not replace formal echocardiography when comprehensive cardiac assessment is required.

Lung Ultrasound

Candidates learn the principles of bedside lung ultrasound and how it may assist in the assessment of acute respiratory symptoms.

Training includes recognition of:

• Lung sliding

• A-lines

• B-lines

• Pleural abnormalities

• Features suggestive of pneumothorax

• Interstitial patterns

• Pleural fluid

• Basic consolidation appearances

Candidates are taught how these findings should be interpreted alongside the patient's history, examination and other investigations.

Ultrasound-Guided Procedures

Where included within the course programme, candidates may also practise the principles of ultrasound-guided procedures such as:

• Peripheral vascular access

• Identification of vessels

• Needle visualisation

• In-plane and out-of-plane techniques

• Maintaining sterile technique

• Understanding procedural safety

Simulation equipment may be used to allow repeated practice before applying these skills clinically.

POCUS in the Acutely Unwell Patient

An important part of the course is understanding how individual ultrasound assessments can be combined during the evaluation of a deteriorating patient.

Candidates are encouraged to think clinically:

• What am I looking for?

• Which probe and view should I use?

• Is the image technically adequate?

• What does the finding mean in this patient?

• Does it change immediate management?

• Do I need formal imaging or specialist review?

This approach helps candidates avoid treating ultrasound findings in isolation.

Hands-On Practical Training

POCUS is a practical skill, and the course places strong emphasis on scanning rather than lecture-based learning alone.

Candidates have opportunities to:

• Handle ultrasound equipment

• Practise probe orientation

• Scan different anatomical areas

• Improve image acquisition

• Receive immediate instructor feedback

• Correct scanning technique

• Repeat difficult views

• Discuss common mistakes and artefacts

• Develop a systematic scanning routine

Small-group practical teaching allows instructors to identify individual difficulties and provide focused guidance.

Ideal for MRCEM and FRCEM Candidates

The course may also be particularly useful for doctors preparing for MRCEM and FRCEM examinations, where understanding the clinical application of emergency ultrasound can form part of broader emergency medicine knowledge and practical competence.

Candidates can develop greater confidence in:

• Explaining indications for POCUS

• Recognising ultrasound images

• Describing relevant findings

• Discussing limitations

• Integrating POCUS into emergency management

• Demonstrating structured clinical reasoning

The course does not reproduce confidential examination material and attendance does not guarantee examination success.

Training for Clinical Practice

The aim of the course is not simply to help candidates recognise images during an examination.

We want participants to develop the foundations required to use POCUS safely within their clinical practice while recognising the importance of:

• Appropriate supervision

• Local governance arrangements

• Maintaining a scan logbook

• Image review

• Competency assessment

• Ongoing clinical practice

• Working within individual scope of competence

Candidates should follow their employer's local ultrasound governance and credentialing requirements before performing or independently reporting POCUS in clinical practice.

Why Train With Kung Medics?

Kung Medics focuses on practical clinical education for doctors working and training within the UK healthcare system.

Candidates benefit from:

• Clinically focused teaching

• Experienced medical instructors

• Extensive hands-on scanning

• Small-group practical sessions

• Modern ultrasound equipment

• Real-time instructor feedback

• Simulation-based learning

• Teaching linked to emergency clinical scenarios

• A supportive learning environment

• Training suitable for beginners and clinicians refreshing existing skills

Our aim is to make ultrasound feel less intimidating and help candidates develop a repeatable, structured approach they can continue practising after the course.

Course Objectives

By the end of the programme, candidates should have a better understanding of how to:

• Select and operate an ultrasound machine appropriately

• Optimise basic ultrasound images

• Recognise important anatomical structures

• Obtain common emergency ultrasound views

• Identify selected important abnormalities

• Understand common artefacts and limitations

• Integrate POCUS into clinical assessment

• Recognise when further imaging or senior review is required

• Continue developing their ultrasound competence through supervised clinical practice

Important Course Information

The Core Emergency Ultrasound Level 1 (POCUS) Course is an educational and practical training programme delivered by Kung Medics.

Completion of the course does not by itself confirm independent clinical competency, specialist accreditation or credentialing to practise ultrasound without supervision.

Individual hospitals, employers, professional bodies and training programmes may have their own requirements regarding supervised scans, logbooks, competency assessments and sign-off.

Candidates remain responsible for ensuring that they practise within their competence and comply with their local clinical governance requirements.

Book Your Core Emergency Ultrasound Level 1 Course

Whether you are completely new to POCUS, preparing for Emergency Medicine training, developing your clinical portfolio or simply want more confidence with bedside ultrasound, this course provides a practical foundation from which to develop your skills.

Book your Core Emergency Ultrasound Level 1 (POCUS) Course with Kung Medics and gain supervised, hands-on experience in the core ultrasound techniques used in acute and emergency care.