West Virginia University Department of Emergency Medicine Ultrasound fellow, Kristine S. Robinson, M.D. is taking Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) to the international level by residing in Metro Manila, Philippines for a month, equipped with a Sonosite Edge machine from Sonosite’s Global Health Programme.
Dr. Robinson volunteered her time and expertise as a visiting physician at St. Luke’s Medical Centre – Quezon City (SLMC-QC), spending time with their Emergency Department residents and staff to teach instructive and hands-on sessions, and accompany residents on scanning shifts. She was also invited as a guest speaker at East Avenue Medical Centre to review basic Emergency Ultrasound applications for their Emergency Medicine residents. In addition, Dr. Robinson and her colleagues from SLMC-QC, which included Dr. Romulo Babasa III (SLMC-QC Ultrasound coordinator), organised a full-day PoCUS Introductory Course and Workshop for the faculty and residents of Makati Medical Centre.
Emergency Medicine is a new specialty in the Philippines, recognised officially in 1991. Initially, only three EM residencies were accredited: Makati Medical Centre (First EM residency), St. Luke’s Medical Centre, and Ospital ng Makati. Since then, additional programmes have been recognised; currently, 10 EM programmes exist. However, only SLMC-QC has integrated PoCUS into their curriculum, commencing their Ultrasound programme in February 2013. East Avenue Medical Centre EM department has recently started using PoCUS, and Makati Medical Centre is in the process of acquiring a machine to establish their programme within a year.
