Start Your POCUS Journey
POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND CERTIFICATION ACADEMY1. Start Your POCUS Journey
Learn about POCUS Certificates and Certifications
The point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) program is the only POCUS Certificate and Certification program endorsed by ARDMS® and APCA™. The affordable online assessments are available 24/7 from your own location and widely recognized for distinguishing skills and abilities in handheld ultrasound.
Individual clinical Certificates and specialty Certifications in point-of-care ultrasound enable healthcare professionals like you to demonstrate your clinical proficiency, pride in your profession, and your ongoing commitment to patient care and safety.
Get the POCUS Application Guide
Everything you need to get started learning about POCUS Certificates and Certifications.
2. Earn Your POCUS Fundamentals Certificate
By completing your two-part POCUS Fundamentals Certificate, you’ll be eligible to earn either an individual clinical Certificate or a POCUS specialty Certification.
The POCUS Fundamentals Certificate requirement is waived for clinicians who have passed the Sonography Principles & Instrumentation (SPI) examination within the last five (5) years, or who hold specific credentials offered by APCA or APCA’s companion council, ARDMS.*
*While the POCUS Fundamentals Certificate is waived for ARDMS and APCA Certificates holders for the purpose of prerequisite eligibility for other POCUS Certificates and Certifications, this does not apply to CMEs.
3. Earn a Clinical Certificate OR Specialty Certification
In order to complete your certificate(s) and certifications, you will need to earn one of these.
Start with the
POCUS Fundamentals Certification
The POCUS Fundamentals Certification is a prerequisite to being able to take assessments for individual and specialty certifications.
POCUS FUNDAMENTALS CERTIFICATION DETAILS
By completing your two-part POCUS Fundamentals certification, you’ll demonstrate your knowledge in point-of-care ultrasound and be eligible to earn either other individual clinical POCUS Certifications and Advanced certifications.
Continuing medical education (CME) credits are currently unavailable. If you have any questions, please contact our team.
*While the POCUS Fundamentals Certificate is waived for clinicians who have passed the Sonography Principles & Instrumentation (SPI) examination within the last five (5) years or ARDMS® and APCA™ Certificate holders, this does not apply to earning CME credits.
EXPLORE EDUCATION PROVIDERS
Need help preparing for the assessment?
Explore our network POCUS Education Providers, experts in providing educational instruction for individuals or groups looking to get certified with POCUS.
POCUS Fundamentals Certifcation
Subtitle goes HereGet Started with POCUS Fundamentals
- The POCUS Fundamentals Certification is a 2 part assessment that will test your knowledge of point-of-care ultrasound.
- Once completed you’ll be eligible to register for Individual and Advanced Certifications.
POCUS Clinical Certificates
Individual clinical certificates test your knowledge and expertise within a specific clinical area.
Prerequisites:
- POCUS Fundamentals Certificate or meeting waiver requirements
- Actively practicing and in good standing health care professional
- Performance of and participation in interpreting cases in the clinical areas. See clinical certificate page(s) for details.
POCUS Clinical Certificates
More than 12 individual clinical certificates are currently offered.
Each Clinical Certificate is comprised of two assessments: a clinical case-based assessment and peer evaluation. Case-based assessments present clinical scenarios with ultrasound media and assessment questions embedded throughout. A peer evaluation is a short questionnaire that is completed by a healthcare provider who is familiar with your ability to obtain clinically-relevant, content-specific POCUS images.
Current Clinical Certificate Offerings:
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
- Abdominal Trauma
- Cardiac
- Gastrointestinal
- Hepatobiliary/Spleen
- Inferior Vena Cava
- Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Lung
- Musculoskeletal Lower Extremity
- Musculoskeletal Soft Tissue
- Musculoskeletal Upper Extremity
- Obstetrics - First Trimester
- Obstetrics - Second/Third Trimester - Coming Soon!
- Renal/Genitourinary
POCUS Clinical Certificates
Subtitle goes HerePOCUS Clinical Certificates
- POCUS Clinical Certificates test advanced POCUS knowledge in a specific area of clinical focus.
- Prerequisite : POCUS Fundamentals Certificate
POCUS Specialty Certifications
Specialty certifications test your knowledge and expertise in a set group of clinical areas related to a medical specialty.
Prerequisites:
- POCUS Fundamentals Certificate or meeting waiver requirements
- Actively practicing and in good standing health care professional
- Performance of and participation in interpreting cases in the clinical areas. See clinical certificate page(s) for details.
POCUS Generalist Certification
Subtitle goes HerePOCUS Generalist Certification
- Prerequisite : POCUS Fundamentals Certification
- The POCUS Generalist Certification is for healthcare professionals specializing in family medicine and primary care or general practice.
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
- Cardiac
- Hepatobiliary/Spleen
- Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Lung
- Musculoskeletal Soft Tissue
- Obstetrics First Trimester
- Renal/Genitourinary
POCUS Emergency Medicine Certification
Subtitle goes HerePOCUS Emergency Medicine Certification
- Prerequisite : POCUS Fundamentals Certification
- The POCUS Emergency Medicine POCUS Certification is for first responders, ER physicians and staff, as well as other emergency medicine providers.
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
- Abdominal Trauma
- Cardiac
- Hepatobiliary/Spleen
- Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Lung
- Obstetrics First Trimester
POCUS Musculoskeletal Certification
POCUS Musculoskeletal Certification
- Prerequisite : POCUS Fundamentals Certification
- The POCUS Musculoskeletal Certification is for clinicians in family medicine, sports medicine, orthopedics, internal medicine, and physical therapy who perform MSK ultrasound.
- Musculoskeletal Lower Extremity
- Musculoskeletal Upper Extremity
- Musculoskeletal Soft Tissue
Global POCUS Principles Certification
Subtitle goes HereGlobal POCUS Principles Certification
- Prerequisite : POCUS Fundamentals Certification
- The Global POCUS Principles Certification is for clinicians practicing anywhere in the world and who work in a variety of practice settings.
- Abdominal Trauma
- Cardiac
- Lung
- Musculoskeletal Soft Tissue
POCUS Critical Care Certification
POCUS Critical Care Certification
- Prerequisite : POCUS Fundamentals Certification
- This program is an online certification program designed to provide independent validation of clinical providers proficiency in seven (7) clinical areas.
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
- Abdominal Trauma
- Cardiac
- Hepatobiliary/Spleen
- Inferior Vena Cava
- Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Lung
POCUS Nephrology Certification
Subtitle goes HerePOCUS Nephrology Certification
- Prerequisite : POCUS Fundamentals Certification
- The POCUS Nephrology Certification is for clinicians practicing in renal care and management of conditions that may involve the kidneys, ureters, and urinary bladder in a variety of clinical practice settings.
- Cardiac
- Inferior Vena Cava
- Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Lung
- Renal/Genitourinary
POCUS Maternal Fetal Health Certification - Coming Soon!
POCUS Maternal Fetal Health Certification
- Prerequisite : POCUS Fundamentals Certification
- The POCUS Maternal Fetal Health Certification is for clinicians involved in fetal care and fetal wellbeing assessment in a variety of clinical practice settings.
- Obstetrics First Trimester
- Obstetrics Second/Third Trimester
In-Depth Guide to the POCUS Certification
Want to learn more about the POCUS Certification process? This guide is here to help you become a POCUS master.
Learn How to Prepare
Get a better understanding of how to prepare for your assessments, the POCUS Fundamentals outline/format, and how the peer evaluation works.
Need More Information?
Talk to a one of our POCUS team members about the POCUS Certification process and get informed.
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