FAQs
What's the difference between postgraduate certificates and awards?
Postgraduate certificates comprise 30 ECTS or academic credits and cover 5 or 6 clinical applications. Awards comprise 19 credits and cover 3 clinical applications.
Are postgraduate certificates and awards offered for every specialty?
No, it depends on the nature of the specialty. For some specialties, both a certificate and award are offered, while for others, only a certificate or an award is available.
Where can I find the information about which courses are available for my specialty?
To discover which courses are available for your specialty, visit ultrasoundacademy.org. There, you’ll also find detailed information on the clinical applications covered and the corresponding learning outcomes.
Are the courses accredited?
The courses are fully accredited MQF Level 7 Postgraduate Certificates and Awards. They have been extensively evaluated and validated by foreign experts in the field of point of care ultrasound.
What is the duration of the courses?
Postgraduate certificates are completed within 12 months whilst the duration of awards is 9 months.
What is the maximum number of participants per course?
In order to ensure that students get sufficient individual attention, the maximum number of participants per course is 10. Participants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Will I have to learn applications that don't apply to my job?
No. Every course was designed in consultation with specialists in a specific specialty or sub-specialty to ensure that the clinical applications are directly suited to the needs of clinicians working in these areas. The courses have a very practical focus and are intended to allow working clinician’s to apply what they learned in their everyday jobs.
Do I need any previous ultrasound experience to enrol for the course?
No prior ultrasound experience is required. The course is designed with the assumption that all participants are starting from scratch. It provides a thorough grounding in ultrasound fundamentals to ensure a solid foundation before progressing to clinical applications.
My schedule is really busy. How will I be able to attend lectures?
No problem at all. All lectures are online and self-paced, allowing you to fit them around your schedule.
How do I access the lectures?
Students are given access to the Ultrasound Academy learning portal where they can access all necessary resources. These include the online lectures, quizzes, webinars, case studies, the course manual as well as additional resources.
What about the practical training? How many fixed days of in person training are required?
Every course has between 2 to 3 obligatory in person full training days depending on the number of clinical applications. In addition, every month a student has a one on one meeting with their mentor to practise and address any issues. Sessions last around an hour and students can select their referred time according to their schedule.
How can I gain hands-on scanning experience during the course?
There are 2 main pathways.
1.Students share free, loaner hand-held ultrasound units amongst themselves. This allows them to practise in their own time and on their own patients. In addition, it also gives them the liberty to practice on their family members and friends away from the stressful environment of work.
2. We have agreements with the public hospitals in Malta and Gozo, as well as one of the principal private hospitals, to allow employees who are enrolled in the courses to find a mentor and arrange for practice. This may be their assigned course mentor or any other specialist in ultrasound. Like this, students can select days for their practice based on their schedule.
How many scans do I need to complete the logbook?
A postgraduate certificate requires a minimum of 200 scans, covering five to six clinical applications. For an award, which covers fewer clinical applications, the total number required is 100 scans. Each clinical application requires 25 to 45 scans, depending on its complexity. To ensure proper consolidation of technique, at least 40% of these scans must be mentored.
What are the assessments like?
The course includes 3 written assessments, each comprising MCQs and short-answer questions. In addition to these, students are required to submit a short literature review of approximately 2,000 words. A practical assessment is conducted at the end of the course. Each clinical application is evaluated independently to ensure competence across the different areas of practice.
How much does the course cost?
Postgraduate Certificate courses are priced at €2,850, while Award courses cost €1,600. Both have been accepted for the Get Qualified scheme, which reimburses up to 70% of the course fees* All fees are inclusive of loaner hand-held ultrasound units and there are no hidden charges.
*Subject to the continued renewal of the Get Qualified scheme.
Will I be able to scan independently after the course?
Ultrasound Academy is committed to empowering doctors to use ultrasound in their practice to improve the clinical care of their patients. The courses are designed to give doctors sufficient practice, mentoring and knowledge to use ultrasound safely and responsibly.