Upon completion of the program, attendees will be able to:

•  Discuss physical characteristics of ultrasound and imaging fundamentals
• Establish basic skills in the use of laptop and handheld ultrasound units
• Utilize ultrasound machine features for image optimization
• Acquire images of the heart including PLAX, Apical 4-chamber, and Subcostal views
• Perform an ultrasound exam of the abdominal aorta with focus on aneurysm detection
• Scan the inferior vena cava and use findings in the assessment of intravascular volume status
• Perform basic musculoskeletal ultrasound scans on large joints
• Perform lung/pleural ultrasound and interpret patterns seen
• Practice ultrasound guided procedures (paracentesis, thoracentesis, and central line placement)
• Combine imaging of heart, lungs, pleura, and IVC to perform a limited cardiopulmonary exam
• Recognize an abscess on soft tissue ultrasound
• Perform a two-zone exam for deep venous thrombosis
• Perform basic scans of the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, and urinary bladder

Location

University of South Carolina School of Medicine Ultrasound Institute Building 28, 2nd Floor
6311 Garners Ferry Road Columbia, SC 29209

Schedule

Thursday and Friday begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. Light breakfast and lunch are included both days.

Physician: $1,600.00 ($1,500 with early bird discount)

NP: $1,200.00 ($1,100 with early bird discount)

PA: $1,200.00 ($1,100 with early bird discount)

Resident: $900.00 ($800 with early bird discount)

Early Bird Registration: You must register at least 21 days prior to the event to receive the $100 off the tuition.

Society of Ultrasound in Medical Education (SUSME) Members: $100 discount

NOTE: If you are a SUSME member, enter the promo code "SUSME" on the Payment Methods page, and click to receive a $100 discount. This step happens before the final review of the registration.

Rural Health Providers:

The Ultrasound Institute is collaborating with the South Carolina Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare to increase access to POCUS training for rural health providers in South Carolina. As part of the initiative, a limited number of tuition free registrations will be granted to individuals practicing in a rural or underserved setting in SC.  Please contact Dina Brown at 803-216-3354  or at Dina.Brown@uscmed.sc.edu, to see if you are eligible.

• March 13-14, 2025
• May 15-16, 2025
• July 24-25, 2025
• September 25-26, 2025
• November 13-14, 2025
• January 15-16, 2026
• March 12-13, 2026
• May 14-15, 2026

Use our online CME registration form. If the registration page fails to load, clear out your browser's cache and history and then try again. 

Continuing Education Credits

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Prisma Health–Midlands Continuing Medical Education Organization is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Prisma Health–Midlands Continuing Medical Education Organization designates this live activity for a maximum of 15.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) ™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Richard A. Hoppmann, M.D., is a Professor of Medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and former Dean of the USCSOM. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. He is Director of the Ultrasound Institute at the University of South Carolina and is principle investigator on multiple ultrasound grants totaling over $1 million. He has introduced an integrated ultrasound curriculum over four years of medical student education at the USCSOM and has helped develop an ultrasound training program for primary care physicians in rural South Carolina. He serves as President of the Society of Ultrasound in Medical Education.

 

Floyd E. Bell, M.D., “Tripp” is the Director of the Ultrasound Institute.  He is Assistant Professor and Chair of Radiology at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia. A graduate of the USC School of Medicine Columbia, he completed a transitional year internship at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in South Carolina and a diagnostic radiology residency at University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill. He previously worked in private practice for a radiology group in Columbia, S.C. Among his research interests is ultrasound in medical education.

Mary Elizabeth Poston, MD joined the Division of Internal Medicine in 2004 where she is currently Assistant Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine. She graduated medical school from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 1999 where she also completed her residency in 2002. She completed an Academic Generalist and MS Clinical Research Fellowship in 2004. Academically, Dr. Poston is interested in pre-clinical medical student education, was Director of the Introduction to Clinical Medicine curriculum, and currently directs the Internal Medicine residency program. Additional interests include ultrasound in medical education and increasing physical activity in primary care.

Keith R. Barron, M.D. is a faculty member at the Ultrasound Institute and hospitalist at Prisma Health Richland. He graduated from University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 2011, participating in an integrated, four-year ultrasound curriculum. In 2014 he completed an Internal Medicine residency at Palmetto Health/University of South Carolina School of Medicine, where he served as Chief Resident. He recently finished a Primary Care Ultrasound Fellowship in 2015 and has a particular interest in lung ultrasound.

Duncan L. Norton, MD, MS is currently an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Prisma Health Children's Hospital - Midlands. He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 2014. He completed his pediatric residency at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital in 2017. After residency, he completed the Primary Care Ultrasound Fellowship in 2018. He is currently the Director of the Pediatric Residency POCUS curriculum at Prisma Health Children's Hospital - Midlands. Current interests are in lung ultrasound and the use of POCUS to facilitate communication between physician and parents. 

Dina Brown, BS, RDMS, is a registered diagnostic medical sonographer at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Ultrasound Institute.  For several years she served as the clinical coordinator and scan lab instructor for the general sonography program at Midlands Technical College.  Before joining the Ultrasound Institute Dina focused primarily on women’s health scanning OB/Gyn.

Jeffrey Wisinski, DO, CAQSM, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained osteopathic primary care sports medicine doctor at Prisma Health Family Medicine. He serves as an assistant program director for the Prisma Health Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship in Columbia and is an assistant professor of Family Medicine with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

Kevin Weinberger, DO, FAAP is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Prisma Health Children's Hospital - Midlands and credentialed in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). He completed his medical degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and pediatric residency at the University of Arizona, followed by a Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship at Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine. His clinical and academic interests focus on expanding the use of POCUS in pediatric hospital medicine, particularly in enhancing procedural outcomes—such as improving success during lumbar punctures.

Cheryl Blanks, BS, RDMS, is a registered diagnostic medical sonographer at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Ultrasound Institute.  Her career has been committed to serving a variety of patient populations at a Level I adult and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center.  From this experience she brings expertise in a range of studies from abdominal to pediatric to ultrasound guided procedures.  She spent many years at a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Center providing imaging for our smallest and most critically ill patients. 

Kelsey Marl, BS, RDCS, RVT, is a registered diagnostic cardiac and vascular sonographer at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Ultrasound Institute.  She also works at Midlands Technical College as the Sonography Program Director.  She completed her undergraduate degree at the College of Charleston and then went on to complete her training in cardiovascular sonography at Midlands Technical College.  She serves as a board member of the South Carolina Society of Echocardiography (SCSE).  She is dedicated to educating new learners as well as serving the medical community by working to provide continuing education events thru the USC SOM Ultrasound Institute and SC Society of Echocardiography. 

Speakers will disclose any relevant commercial relationships prior to the start of the educational activity.

In addition to the faculty listed, Adrienne C. Ross (CME Manager, Office of Continuous Professional Development & Strategic Affairs) is recognized by USCSOM Ultrasound Institute as being in control of content of this program.