More HOCUS POCUS: Advocating for Point-of-Care Ultrasound Teaching in Medical School

Point-of-Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) is hailed as the "stethoscope of the future". Especially in acute and critical care settings, PoCUS has countless applications and has been shown to improve diagnostic and procedural outcomes. Although residency programs are starting to adopt ultrasound teaching, it seems that North American undergraduate medical programs have much room for improvement. For instance, a 2016 Canadian survey showed that only half of Canadian medical schools had integrated PoCUS into their curricula, with only 0-5 hours of teaching per year. Medical schools are constantly seeking to innovate education, and PoCUS should be no exception. This Review and Editorial will highlight the importance of PoCUS in acute and critical care, and advocate for increased ultrasound teaching in undergraduate medical programs.