Canadian national survey of family medicine residents on point-of-care ultrasound training.

Objective: To assess the quality of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training in family medicine residency programs and to obtain the opinions of current family medicine residents on the role of ultrasound in primary care.

Design: A 23-question online survey conducted using SurveyMonkey between March 15 and June 30, 2017.

Setting: Canada.

Participants: All family medicine residents of the 17 Canadian family medicine residency programs were included in the study but all enhanced skills residents were excluded.

Main Outcome Measures: The quality and relevance of POCUS to primary care as perceived by residents and reported in the survey.

Results: A total of 854 Canadian family medicine residents responded, for a national response rate of 32.3%. Most respondents (94.3%) believe that POCUS training should be included in family medicine residency programs; however, only 18.4% of respondents currently receive formal training within their residency. Among those without POCUS training, 91.7% are interested in receiving formal training and 29.7% resorted to taking external POCUS courses. Most (77.5%) would consider using ultrasound in their future practice if they were competent in POCUS. The most useful applications for family medicine were considered to be the FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma) examination for free fluid and ascites (95.1%), procedural guidance (92.4%), and identifying an intrauterine pregnancy (88.6%).

Conclusion: This is the largest survey identifying the perceived needs of family medicine residents for POCUS. Very few Canadian family medicine residents currently receive POCUS training. Consistent with our recent family medicine program director survey, there is overwhelming interest by family medicine residents to begin incorporating POCUS training into the family medicine curriculum.