In recent years, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has seen growth outside of traditional imaging and radiology because it demonstrates a new caliber of credibility, and the advantages of using it have become more intersectional across medical focuses.
The improvements in its technology, its low cost, and the boosted portability of this modality have led to it being used increasingly across the healthcare field. Consequently, there has been an increase in learning practical POCUS experiences for students and professionals alike.
As POCUS popularity has increased, the community of individuals who engage with it and how they do so has also grown. Opportunities to engage with this medical phenomenon fall into three main categories:
- The Academic Setting
- The Healthcare Profession
- Volunteer Opportunities
Alongside the medical schools and healthcare centers that have integrated POCUS into their work, other organizations offer individuals an outlet to participate in ultrasound through volunteering.
Benefits of volunteering
There are numerous physical and mental benefits associated with volunteering in any area of your life. Giving back provides you with an opportunity to connect with others, feel happier and healthier, learn new skills, and advance your career.
Volunteering with POCUS offers individuals these same advantages while also allowing them to further their healthcare career and impacting the medical field. The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) cites various benefits individuals receive from volunteering with their organization. According to its website, volunteering:
- Is a tangible way to promote quality patient care
- Allows you to guide the next wave of sonographers
- Helps you grow in your care
- Is a way to give back to a profession you love
- Provides you the opportunity to engage with colleagues from around the globe who share your passion for the use of diagnostic medical ultrasound
Through volunteering, individuals can better grasp the uses of POCUS and understand the impact that it has. Also, for healthcare workers who are adept in ultrasound, volunteering serves as an opportunity to pass on their knowledge.
How Volunteering Benefits You
Participating in volunteer opportunities with POCUS provides benefits that fall into two primary categories: helping further improve the medical field and helping your career.
1. Helping the Medical Field:
The landscape of healthcare is constantly changing, and as medical providers strive to always provide the best care for their patients, volunteer opportunities allow you to engage with the medical community in a continual flow of knowledge. Opportunities from helping write tests, guiding students, and submitting supplementary educational content allow you to play a role in maintaining the integrity and unity behind ensuring the highest quality healthcare.
2. Advancing Your Career Through Volunteering:
By volunteering, you are demonstrating that you are a subject matter expert in POCUS. Organizations that highlight professionals’ experiences and knowledge choose to only do so for those who are qualified. As POCUS becomes the standard within the healthcare field, patients and fellow healthcare workers see POCUS experience and knowledge as a commitment to providing quality care.
Ways to Volunteer with POCUS
As POCUS becomes more and more recognized for the instrumental influence it has on furthering the medical field by enhancing the experience of patients and healthcare workers alike; there has been a growth in available volunteer opportunities for individuals to participate in.
The Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certification Academy™ also provides a wide range of possibilities for volunteers globally to contribute their subject-matter expertise through content creation and quality assurance. These opportunities include:
- Volunteering to be interviewed as a blog or podcast guest
- Hosting a 20-minute webinar that can be live or recorded
- Serving as a case reviewer
- Submitting clinical POCUS videos
To learn more about the volunteer opportunities and benefits that exist, check out our page on Volunteering as a Subject Matter Expert.
Ready to get started on your POCUS journey? Check out our many certificates and certifications here.
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