Bedside Ultrasonography by Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physicians

While the American College of Emergency Physicians sanctioned the use of point-of-care ultrasonography by emergency medicine physicians in 1990, pediatric emergency medicine physicians have been slower to adopt this diagnostic modality. As of 2011, 12% of pediatric emergency medicine fellowship programs still did not offer point-of-care ultrasound training.

Now, in a joint policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and American College of Emergency Physicians endorse the use of point-of-care ultrasound by pediatric emergency physicians and support the American Board of Pediatrics' requirement that pediatric emergency medicine fellowship programs provide point-of-care ultrasound training. Re…