At the moment, many schools treat bedside or point of care ultrasound (POCUS) like an add-on, an option, a “we should probably include something on bedside ultrasound somewhere” afterthought on most curricula. Also the number of physicians actually doing it in practice is relatively small and the research base for proving its clinical benefit is limited to certain applications and clinical scenarios. The machines themselves are still quite expensive. Bedside ultrasound is still in its infancy as a tool.

At some point in the (near) future, ultrasound units will be cheap, handheld, and in the pocket of every clinician who wants one. The research base will have expanded.  POCUS will become an extension to clinical examination on every patient.

How do we get from point A to point B? There are many teachers who can tell us how to take a history from a patient and many who can show us how to examine the abdomen but few who can show us how to use an ultrasound unit.

What it will take, is a generation of champions who stepped up and taught themselves, who put in the time to read, practice, get feedback and learn. Call them early adopters, advocates, trail blazers or whatever suits but these are the ones who will change the way we teach and practise medicine to future generations.

Will it be you?