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Training Course in Clinical Abdominal Ultrasound - TrainR4U

Organic Unit Faculty of Medicine (FMUC)

Course Type Non-degree course

Type of teaching Blended Learning

Language of instruction English

Edition 2

Duration 40 hours

Number of ECTS 1,5

Accreditation N/A

Tuition fee 200€

Important Dates

For Coimbra:

Start date

End date

Application deadlines

For Lisbon:

Start date

End date

Application deadlines

Presentation

Training course on clinical abdominal ultrasound through robotic tele-ultrasound system.

Notice of Opening

https://apps.uc.pt/courses/EN/course/10281


Course in Coimbra runs from de 03/05/2023 to 05/06/2023

  • Online: 03/05/2023 to 31/05/2023
  • Face-to-face: 01/06/2023 to 05/06/2023 with the following sessions*:
  • Location: Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra

Group 1 (maximum 10 students): 01/06/2023 – 8h30 to 13h30 and 14h30 to 19h30

Group 2 (maximum 10 students): 02/06/2023 - 8h30 to 13h30 and 14h30 to 19h30

Groupo 3 (maximum 10 students): 05/06/2023 - 8h30 to 13h30 and 14h30 to 19h30

* registration in the groups will be done during the online part of the course.


Course in Lisbon runs from 29/05/2023 to 29/06/2023

  • Online: 29/05/2023 to 23/06/2023
  • Face-to-face: 26/06/2023 to 29/06/2023 with the following sessions*:
  • Location: NOVA Medical School (NMS) - Universidade NOVA de Lisboa

Group 1 (maximum 10 students): 26/06/2023 – 14h30 to 19h30 and 27/06/2023 -8h30 to 13h30

Group 2 (maximum 10 students): 27/06/2023 - 14h30 to 19h30 and 28/06/2023 -8h30 to 13h30

Group 3 (maximum 10 students): 28/06/2023 - 14h30 to 19h30 and 29/06/2023 -8h30 to 13h30

* registration in the groups will be done during the online part of the course.

Target audience

The learning program is specially targeted to all those that use ultrasound diagnosis on a daily basis, that need the skill, experience and additional training time. Medical students and students from the field of imaging can also apply.

The learners will need to have a background medical education that is relevant to the content of the program and as such in terms of requisites they will have to provide accredited documentation of their academic/professional experience as well as a letter of commitment towards the course.

All candidates should have the following required course prerequisites: Anatomy and Physiology; Medical Terminology; Intro to Physics.

Differentiating characteristics of the course

Demonstration of abdominal ultrasound by a specialist, through robotic tele-ultrasound tool.

Learning Goals

Main objective of Clinical Abdominal Ultrasound Training is to capacitate current and future health professionals to acquire/improve skills on that imaging technique.

Syllabus

Module 1. Physics of US (Ultrasound) and Doppler

  • 1.1 - Image generation
  • 1.2 - Notion of echogeneity
  • 1.3 - Introduction to hardware: machines and probes
  • 1.4 - Description of an US finding

Module 2. US of the liver and biliary tract

  • 2.1 - Indications
  • 2.2 - Patient positioning
  • 2.3 - Methods for image obtention/US exploration of the liver and biliary tract
  • 2.4 - Normal anatomy
  • 2.5 - Main pathologic conditions of the liver and biliary tract

Module 3. US of the pancreas and spleen

  • 3.1 - Indications
  • 3.2 - Patient positioning
  • 3.3 - Methods for image obtention/US exploration of the pancreas and spleen
  • 3.4 - Normal anatomy
  • 3.5 - Main pathologic conditions

Module 4. US of the kidneys and bladder

  • 4.1 - Indications
  • 4.2 - Patient positioning
  • 4.3 - Methods for image obtention/US exploration of the kidneys
  • 4.4 - Normal anatomy
  • 4.5 - Main pathologic conditions

Module 5. US of the vessels and FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma)

  • 5.1 - Indications
  • 5.2 - Normal anatomy and spectral analysis
  • 5.3 - FAST
  • 5.4 - Indications and limitations

Teaching Methodologies

TrainR4U is a 40-hour b-learning course, focusing on abdominal ultrasound imaging, that includes both theoretical (online) and practical (hands-on) training.

Concerning the theoretical training (online component), the course has a sequential structure organized into 5 thematic modules. The methodology is based on learners’ active learning, with teacher’s monitoring.

The theoretical concepts about US will be presented through texts and video lectures, and case-based learning will be used for the application and contextualization of concepts.

The teaching process is based on the systematic monitoring of learners' work, namely in the study of the contents, clarification of doubts, and in the accomplishment of learning activities.

There will be individual activities, like tests, that will have automatic feedback, and group activities, like forums, that will be monitored by the teacher.

For hands-on training, there will be training hubs, which will be composed of an offsite master side (mentor) and onsite master-slave (learner) stations, which will enable remote US training with the assistance of a skilled mentor. These stations will be connected and enhanced by an innovative robot-assisted co-manipulation system. The offsite mentor and onsite robotic system will work together in a shared control manner to conduct the training. Students will be guided to perform tasks related to the ultrasound exploration of the abdomen of the participating pairs, serving the students as models of each other – to recognize a certain anatomical structure or to make a simple measurement of an organ or part of it. The robotic system implemented in the training station will allow the external mentor to monitor and control the ultrasound equipment with high precision, allowing the student to receive tactile feedback and positional correction performed by the specialist who is at a distance. Participants' confidentiality will be guaranteed by signing a confidentiality agreement upon registration.

Assessment

The teaching process is based on monitoring the work of learners - appropriation of content, clarification of doubts, and carrying out activities. There will be individual activities (tests with automatic feedback), and group activities (teacher-monitored forums).

In the practical component, students will perform tasks related to the ultrasound exploration of the abdomen of the participating pairs (they serve as models), to recognize anatomical structures or make a simple measurement of an organ or part of it. Immediate feedback will be given by the teacher with a demonstration of procedures.

Participants' confidentiality will be guaranteed by signing a confidentiality agreement upon registration.

Students perform a final test on the theoretical and practical concepts acquired. The activities will be classified on a scale from 0 to 20 values, with the final grade being the arithmetic average of the theoretical component and the practical component in equal parts (50%T and 50%P).

Certification

Students who pass the course may request a certificate issued by the University of Coimbra. Fees will apply. More information at https://www.uc.pt/en/academicos/propinas/emolumento.

Professors

Luís Curvo Semedo
Coordinator and Professor

Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra. Regent of the Optional Course of Clinical Ultrasound at FMUC. Radiology Consultant - Medical Imaging Service, CHUC. Coordinator of the Magnetic Resonance area of SIM. Coordinator of the Gastro-intestinal Imaging area at SIM. Fellow of the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR). Member at Large, Research Committee of the European Society of Radiology (ESR). Editorial Board of the European Journal of Radiology Open. Editorial Scientific Board of Acta Radiological Portuguesa (ARP). Secretary-General of the Portuguese Society of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (SPRMN). Coordinator of the School of the Portuguese Society of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (ESPRMN). President of the Portuguese Association of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine (APRANEMN).

Nuno Pereira da Silva
Professor

Gracious Assistant at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra. Hospital Radiology Assistant - Medical Imaging Service, CHUC. Member of the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal. Differentiation Internship in Abdominal Radiology at The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Amsterdam. Author and co-author of several publications in international scientific journals and communications in national and international meetings. Collaboration as co-investigator in scientific research projects at CHUC, NKI and Instituto Pedro Nunes.

Idoia Santos Gómez

Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu

Professor

Medical Doctor / Radiologist. Bachelor's Degree in Medicine, University of Barcelona (2000-2006). Residency training program in Radiology, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona), (2007-2011). Radiologist at Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu (Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona) since 2011 in the Body division. Coordinator of Innovation of the Radiology Department at PSSJD since 2020.

Márcio Navalho
Professor

Márcio Navalho holds a Medical Degree and a PhD Degree in Medicine by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (FML). Specialist in Radiology by Santa Maria University Hospital, he was a Clinical Fellow at the David Gefen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA and at Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France. He holds the Degree of Imaging Consultant by the Portuguese Medical Association. He was a Researcher at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, having participated as a Lecturer in several subjects at FML. Former Director of Medical Imaging for the whole of the Lisbon region of Trofa Saúde Group. He is currently Chair of the "Medicine 4.0" Subject at the Nova Medical School. Also Researcher at the Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), in the Musculoskeletal and Health Innovation groups and CEO of the International Centre for Telemedicine.

João Abrantes
Professor

João Abrantes holds a Medical Degree in Medicine by the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS) of the University of Porto. Specialist in Radiology by the Portuguese Medical Association. Clinical fellow on thoracic imaging by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Imaging Informatics fellow at the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington D.C., USA. Holds a European Diploma of Radiology (EDIR) by the European Society of Radiology. He is currently the coordinator of the Breast Unit at the Radiology Department - Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro EPE. Committee Member of the European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics Young Club and coordinator of the working group on Artificial Intelligence of the Portuguese Society of Senology.

Paul Tansey
Professor

Medical Doctor / Specialist Registrar (SpR). Bachelor's Degree in Medicine and Surgery (BMBS), University of Limerick (2013-2017). Member of the Royal College of Physicians, Ireland (MRCPI-2019). Residency training program, Faculty of Radiology, Royal college of Surgeons and St James's Hospital Ireland (FRCR 2020-present). Assistant professor of Radiology, Trinity College Dublin School of medicine, Ireland (2020).

Admission Requirements