Best Online POCUS Courses

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training

Scouring the web for the best POCUS course recommendations is time-consuming and complicated. Here we summarise the key features of online courses including the pros and cons of each platform and a glimpse of their pricing options.

POCUS Course selection criteria

Courses included met the following criteria:

  • English language
  • Structured training that provides learners with a clearly defined learning path
  • Easily accessible online, with no need for a formal application process
  • Access to pricing and other course details without any requirement to register for an account first
  • Provides more than a collection of examples, references, and/or practice cases
  • Offers a range of learning opportunities from foundational to advanced levels
  • Relevant to most healthcare professionals, including physicians, advanced practice professionals, and nurses
  • Courses can be easily found in Google search results
  • Providers must not prevent UK and EU residents from accessing their website

The Top Paid Resources

1. Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute

The Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute has provided CME for over 200,000 medical professionals since 1985. Every Gulfcoast Ultrasound POCUS course qualifies for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. They offer over a dozen online point-of-care ultrasound training courses. 

Online-only POCUS courses include 1 year of access, with CME credits available at an additional fee. 

For pricing, if you look at what you’d be paying per CME credit, the type of pricing you’ll see includes about 118 USD per CME credit with Musculoskeletal Soft Tissue Certificate Review, and about 44.50 USD per CME credit with POCUS Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Certification Review.

Pros
  • Long track record in teaching ultrasound is one of many reasons they made this list of options for the best POCUS course online. 
  • ACCME-accredited
  • Variety of POCUS topics, including MSK, vascular, cardiac, OB, and more.
Cons
  • The price is higher than that of several other providers.
  • To earn CME, there are additional fees.
Pricing

Examples of course pricing include:

External Links

2. American College of Physicians

The American College of Physicians (ACP) offers a few high-quality online learning options.

They have an online point-of-care ultrasound course collection that covers common applications of POCUS in internal medicine, placing an emphasis on image analysis. Each module provides 1, 1.25, or 1.5 CME credits, and they’re all accredited by ACCME, so that you can earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Some of the POCUS topics covered include the following:

  • How to get adequate images
  • Lung and cardiac ultrasound
  • Intra-abdominal free fluid
  • Urinary system
  • DVT
  • Upper and lower extremity MSK ultrasound
  • AAA
Pros
  • The ACP is a reputable and trustworthy organisation worth considering if you’re narrowing down your options to find the best POCUS course for your needs.
  • Affordable prices
  • Point-of-care ultrasound CME that covers several topics
Cons
  • The ACP offers only 13 online courses, and the reviews for these courses come from the ACP itself rather than Trustpilot or Google Reviews.
Pricing
  • POCUS Online Learning Activities – 50 USD/module for nonmembers, and free for ACP members
  • ACP membership is billed annually at 324 USD for physicians 7 years or less beyond medical school, or 565 USD for physicians 8 years or more beyond medical school
External Links

3. 123sonography

123sonography exclusively offers ultrasound-focused courses, including POCUS ultrasound courses. With over 200 reviews on TrustPilot, they have a rating of 4.7 out of 5. Not all of their courses provide AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ but many do, including 5 of 7 POCUS courses. 

Their POCUS course offerings include: 

  • Emergency and Critical Care Ultrasound Essentials
  • Emergency Ultrasound BachelorClass
  • POCUS FocusClass
  • POCUS FocusClass: Abdomen Focus
  • POCUS FocusClass: Heart Focus
  • Prehospital Point-of-Care Ultrasound
  • OB/GYN FocusClass: POCUS Applications
Pros
  • Offers an extensive range of ultrasound-focused courses, making it one of the best POCUS course libraries online.
  • Many courses are ACCME-certified and provide AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
  • 30-day money-back guarantee that provides a 100% refund.
Cons
  • Courses are more expensive, and not all courses provide CME.
Pricing
  • Courses are priced individually, with a minimum 4-month subscription required. 
  • Example of pricing:
    • POCUS FocusClass (6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™)
      • Monthly pricing at 169 USD/month for a minimum of 4 months (minimum 676 USD). That works out to 112.67 USD per CME credit
      • One-time payment pricing as follows:
        • 950 USD for 6-month access
        • 1330 USD for 12-month access
        • 2280 USD for 24-month access
External Links

4. SonoSim

SonoSim provides a range of interactive, multimedia, peer-reviewed courses focusing on POCUS and other aspects of ultrasound. They have 3 POCUS course bundles, plus several courses you can purchase individually (and over 200 cases to practice on). Topics covered include the following:

  • FAST
  • eFAST
  • RUSH
  • Cardiac bedside ultrasound
  • OB ultrasound

You can practice scanning virtually with their SonoSimulator® probe, a device that simulates a real ultrasound probe and connects to your laptop. Download their mobile app to learn on the go and test your knowledge with practice quizzes.

Pros
  • SonoSim offers a range of ways to engage with the content, including courses, the SonoSimulator® probe, quizzes, and quick references viewable on any device, which places it on the best POCUS course list. 
  • Provides AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (may incur additional cost depending on whether the course is purchased as an individual or through an institution).
Cons
  • More expensive 
  • You need to purchase the SonoSimulator® Probe for 249 USD along with the courses.
  • Customers outside the USA and Canada cannot return their purchases.
  • The app has 11 reviews on the Google Play Store with an average rating of 3.4/5. The website has no reviews on TrustPilot or Google Reviews.
Pricing
External Links

5. Core Ultrasound

Core Ultrasound has earned the trust of over 100 institutions worldwide for point-of-care ultrasound training, and their CME courses qualify for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. They have offerings geared towards different experience levels, including medical students, trainees, and advanced users. 

Their POCUS course library includes: 

  • Fundamentals, covering major areas of diagnostics and procedural POCUS
  • Core Q-Bank, a large question bank of bedside ultrasound pathology
  • Critical Care Ultrasound, focused on POCUS applications in critically ill patients  
  • SonoAnatomy, a beginner ultrasound course designed for medical students
Pros
  • Some of their course offerings allow you to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
  • Prices are reasonable.
Cons
  • The course offerings are limited.
Pricing

Pricing is on an annual subscription basis. Bundling items leads to savings, and they offer an All-Access Pass that includes 9 courses (2 of which are CME-certified) and access to 4000 questions.

Examples of prices (CME included):

  • Fundamentals: 199 USD/year (19.5 hours AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™)
  • Core Q-Bank: 199 USD/year (82 hours AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™)
  • All-Access Pass: 599 USD/year (100 hours AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™)
External Links

6. POCUS 101

The creators of POCUS 101 are fellowship-trained in POCUS and have taught thousands of students. 

They offer 12 CME credits across 15 POCUS courses, all of which are eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. 

Their content is based on user feedback and is worth considering in your hunt for the best POCUS course. These POCUS courses are easy to access on any device, including an app version.

Pros
  • POCUS 101 provides several short courses on a wide range of topics.
  • Membership provides access to all courses.
  • CME-accredited for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (0.5 to 1.5 CME credits per course)
Cons
  • There are no in-depth POCUS ultrasound courses, as each course consists of only a few lessons
  • You cannot purchase individual courses. You need a membership to access courses.
Pricing
  • Prices for membership as follows:
    • Attending – 349 USD/year, including CME
      • Works out to 29.08 USD per CME credit
    • Resident – 249 USD/year, and this only includes certificates of participation, not CME
    • Medical Student – 149 USD/year, and this only includes certificates of participation, not CME
External Links

7. Global Ultrasound Institute

Global Ultrasound Institute is a growing community of over 18,000 participants and over 300 POCUS educators. Clinicians in over 124 countries use the Global Ultrasound Institute’s educational materials, including point-of-care ultrasound training. 

They also offer virtual fellowships lasting 6–12 months that provide a more in-depth learning environment and 1:1 coaching. Their courses provide AAFP Prescribed CME credits, which can be claimed as AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Examples of POCUS topics covered include the following:

  • Peripheral nerve blocks
  • Pediatric POCUS 
  • OB POCUS
  • MSK ultrasound
  • E-simulation cases
Pros
  • Global Ultrasound Institute offers a range of online and in-person training, including POCUS course bundles. 
  • Prices are more affordable
  • Access to Sage AI™, the Global Ultrasound Institute’s clinical ultrasound AI assistant, trained with the Institute’s POCUS content and global experts
Cons
  • The CME credits they provide are not specifically AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™; however, the AAFP’s credit equivalency agreements are available here.
Pricing
  • Online courses cost 309 USD/year, with discounts for professionals who are in training, support underserved communities, or work in low or middle-income countries.
External Links

8. POCUS Focused

POCUS Focused is a POCUS ultrasound course provider geared towards an assortment of specialities within medicine:

  • Emergency medicine
  • Internal medicine
  • Family medicine
  • Pre-hospital healthcare professionals

Using case studies, quizzes and interactive activities, they make sure that the information in their courses is easy to remember. 

Their POCUS course catalogue includes:

  • Practical Scanning
  • eFAST Examination
  • Cardiac Core and Advanced TTE
  • Lower extremity DVT
  • Pediatric Abdomen
  • Abdominal Aorta
  • Thoracic
  • Gallbladder
  • OB 

Some courses can be purchased individually for 12-month access, or you can purchase a subscription giving you access to multiple courses suited to your speciality for 1 month, 6 months, or 1 year.

Pros
  • Costs are reasonable
  • Wide variety of topics covered
  • Can earn CME credits
Cons
  • Subscriptions indicate how many POCUS courses you have access to, but it is unclear how many CME credits you can earn.
Pricing

Individual POCUS course purchases provide 12-month access and clearly indicate CME credits earned. Examples include:

  • eFAST Examination POCUS Course: 229 USD (6 CME credits)
    • works out to 38.17 USD per CME credit
  • Cardiac Core TTE POCUS Course: 179 USD (4 CME credits)
    • works out to 44.75 USD per CME credit
  • First Trimester OB POCUS Course: 129 USD (4 CME credits)
    • works out to 32.25 USD per CME credit

Subscription pricing varies depending on whether you’re a trainee, advanced practice professional, or attending physician. Subscriptions offer many courses, according to speciality:

  • Emergency Medicine Attending Physician POCUS Subscription with CME (includes 23 courses): 69 USD/month, 349 USD/6 months, or 599 USD/year
  • Emergency Medicine APP POCUS Subscription with CME (includes 23 courses): 59 USD/month, 299 USD/6 months, or 499 USD/year
  • Hospitalist & Primary Care Attending POCUS Subscription with CME (includes 18 courses): 69 USD/month, 349 USD/6 months, or 599 USD/year
External Links

9. USabcd

USabcd has served over 40,000 clinicians across 25 countries. In addition to their in-person workshops, they also provide a small selection of online POCUS courses, including:

  • Essential Emergency Ultrasound
  • Airway Ultrasonography
  • Abdominal Ultrasound for Free Fluid (FAST)

Their self-study online courses are not accredited for CME unless you also attend one of their in-person workshops, for which the organisers successfully applied for CME accreditation.

Pros
  • While this provider has a smaller selection of courses, the online point-of-care ultrasound course options are very reasonably priced, and some are free.
  • Access to e-courses is lifelong, as long as you have an account with USabcd.
Cons
  • Limited POCUS course offerings
  • E-courses are not CME-accredited on their own. CME points can be earned when an e-course is combined with a hands-on workshop.
Pricing
External Links
Final verdict on the best POCUS course provider

Extensive research led us to this final list of the best POCUS courses online, narrowed down to the top 10 options.

Most clinicians will find that Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute is the best option. It has a world-class reputation and still charges a reasonable price for its courses, at about 118 USD per CME credit or less. The slightly more expensive courses offer between 6 and 12 hours of instruction, making them worth the price. 

An extensive community of medical professionals has benefited from their courses, and their CME credit offering is substantial! They offer dozens of courses, both online and in-person, keeping class sizes small so you get the instructor’s attention. 

Specific features of other options might sway you in another direction, such as Sonosim’s SonoSimulator® probe for hands-on practice or Core Ultrasound’s question bank to help you become well-versed in ultrasound pathology.

Free #FOAMed resources

LITFL: POCUS Made Easy

This article covers the following topics within POCUS:

  • POCUS – eFAST
  • POCUS – AAA
  • POCUS – Basic Echo
  • POCUS – Lung
  • POCUS – DVT
  • POCUS – Gallbladder
  • POCUS – Renal
  • POCUS – CLUE Protocol
  • POCUS – RUSH Protocol
  • POCUS – Fascia Iliaca Nerve Block
  • POCUS – Ultrasound Guided Vascular Access
The POCUS Atlas
  • A library of images related to ultrasound, and an atlas showing how to use ultrasound to provide evidence
Ultrasound G.E.L. Podcast
  • Podcast that discusses recent POCUS literature
  • Includes books, podcasts, and apps
RESUS Ultrasound
  • An app demonstrating the use of POCUS in emergency and critical care settings

AEUS Narrated Lecture Series

  • The Academy of Emergency Ultrasound (part of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine) designed this online lecture series for emergency physicians in training.
  • You can watch the lectures on the AEUS YouTube channel without a membership. 
Additional Resources

POCUS

made easy

more POCUS videos

MBBS DDU (Emergency) CCPU. Adult/Paediatric Emergency Medicine Advanced Trainee in Melbourne, Australia. Special interests in diagnostic and procedural ultrasound, medical education, and ECG interpretation. Co-creator of the LITFL ECG Library. Twitter: @rob_buttner

BA MA (Oxon) MBChB (Edin) FACEM FFSEM. Emergency physician, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Passion for rugby; medical history; medical education; and asynchronous learning #FOAMed evangelist. Co-founder and CTO of Life in the Fast lane | On Call: Principles and Protocol 4e| Eponyms | Books |

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