For the seventh time, the department’s Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine has hosted the Midwest Critical Care Fellows Ultrasound Symposium, the tenth since its inception. The only real change this year is that leadership of the two-day event has passed from Greg Schmidt, MD, to Paul Nassar, MD, MPH. After nearly a decade behind the steering wheel, Schmidt said he was glad to only have to focus on what he would be presenting and modeling for the trainees. Nassar said that he appreciated Schmidt being available for questions in this transition year.
One other difference from years past is that the symposium has had to establish a cap on enrollees. In 2016, 47 fellows traveled to Iowa for the mix of hands-on and didactic instruction in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). This year, they could admit no more than 96 fellows from 15 institutions. The definition of “Midwest” continues to broaden with fellows from Kentucky, New Mexico, and Colorado mixed in with trainees working in Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas. Schmidt also noted that some of the 28 faculty members serving as lecturers and hands-on guides were themselves critical care fellows going through the course just a few years ago.
Though coordinating twice as many trainees as 7 years ago, the structure remained largely the same. Over the course of two days, the symposium teaches critical care fellows, most of whom are in their first year, how to manipulate a bedside ultrasound probe in order to obtain views of certain organs and systems for more efficient and accurate diagnosis. The whole group is shown examples and what certain images can mean to a physician and then smaller groups work on image interpretation with guidance.
Those trainees not working on image interpretation practice with POCUS machines on industry loan, obtaining views of volunteer simulated patients. Each clinic room is led by an experienced faculty member who guides each trainee in proper image acquisition technique.
The evening of the first day is also the same as every year. Bikes are rented from a local shop and provided to all those who want to ride along a scenic, but typical-for-Iowa trail. The ride culminates in a picnic with wood-fired pizzas and drinks and even a campfire.
When fellows return home to their programs, their program leaders and attending physicians see newly confident fellows eager to incorporate their POCUS skills into clinical diagnoses. But they also hear about connections that happen on a bike ride and around a campfire and in line for the catered breakfasts and lunches. That is what will keep new classes coming back year after year.
Congratulations to Nassar and Schmidt and all the members of the organizing committee. Special thanks to Pulmonary staff members Nicole Strand, Samantha Bredlau, and Anne Vincent for their work coordinating this successful event.
