Intended for healthcare professionals

Careers

Foundation echocardiography

BMJ 2012; 345 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e6557 (Published 10 October 2012) Cite this as: BMJ 2012;345:e6557
  1. Caroline Watson, core medical trainee
  1. 1John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
  1. caroline.watson{at}doctors.org.uk

Foundation echocardiography is a three day beginner’s echocardiography course run by Midlands Echo and listed on the British Society of Echocardiography’s website (www.bsecho.org). The faculty includes consultant cardiologists, cardiology specialist registrars, and senior sonographers. The course organiser, Grant Heatlie, is a consultant cardiologist from the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

Who is it for?

The course is aimed at doctors and physiologists who are just starting out in transthoracic echocardiography, with no previous echocardiography experience assumed. There were about 25 delegates when I attended the course. Delegates were mainly foundation year 2 to specialty trainee year 3 level, from all over the United Kingdom, predominantly with an interest in pursuing a career in cardiology.

When did you do it?

I attended the course in July 2012, at the end of my foundation year 2.

What was it like?

The course took place over three days (Wednesday to Friday). Each day was very well structured, with lectures in the mornings and practical, hands-on echocardiography sessions in the afternoon. Teaching was provided in a friendly, relaxed environment. There were no assessments or exams. Lecture topics covered were:

Day 1

  • Cardiac anatomy

  • Echocardiography physics (greyscale, Doppler)

  • Echocardiography machine and controls

  • The normal echocardiography examination

Day 2

  • Aortic valve (normal, stenosis, and regurgitation)

  • Mitral valve (normal, stenosis, and regurgitation)

  • The right heart

Day 3

  • Assessment of left ventricular function

  • Emergency echocardiography

  • Tricks of the trade

  • Other echocardiography modalities

In the afternoons we were divided into small groups of four to five people, and we each had a chance to practise what we had been taught that morning on a selection of willing volunteers. On the first afternoon the volunteers had normal echocardiographic examinations, and on the second and third afternoons they had echocardiographic findings that reflected the topics we had covered that morning. At each station we had an expert echocardiographer to guide and assist us. Over the three days we had a total of about 1.5 hours’ scanning time each.

There were plenty of tea and coffee breaks and a hot buffet lunch each day. The dinner on the first night was held at a nearby Italian restaurant and provided a good opportunity to get to know the other people attending the course.

Where is it held?

The course is held several times a year at the Moat House Hotel in Stoke on Trent.

How much does it cost?

The course costs £780 (including lunches but not accommodation) or £1000 (including accommodation for two nights and all meals).

Was it worth it?

This course was definitely worth attending. It was very well organised, and the faculty provided excellent teaching in an easy to follow, structured format, with lots of added humour. The small group practical sessions provided a supportive environment in which to practise our new skills and consolidate our knowledge.

I would unreservedly recommend this course to anyone who has an interest in cardiology, who is starting out in echocardiography, or who is planning on working towards the accreditation examination of the British Society of Echocardiography. It would also be helpful for people interested in pursuing a career in emergency medicine or intensive care.

Top tip

We were given a copy of Making Sense of Echocardiography: A Hands-on Guide by Andrew R Houghton, an excellent, easy to read, step by step guide to echocardiography. Although the teaching on this course assumed no previous knowledge, it would be helpful to read the first few chapters of this, or a similar book, in preparation for the course.

Further information

The course will next be held on 28-30 November 2012. For more information contact enquiries{at}midlandsecho.com or tel 01782 553550; www.midlandsecho.com.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: None declared.