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 Program.
Dr. Robinson volunteered her time and expertise as a visiting physician at St. Luke’s Medical Center – 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 Center 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), organized a full-day PoCUS Introductory Course and Workshop for the faculty and residents of Makati Medical Center.
Emergency Medicine is a new specialty in the Philippines, recognized officially in 1991. Initially, only three EM residencies were accredited: Makati Medical Center (First EM residency), St. Luke’s Medical Center, and Ospital ng Makati. Since then, additional programs have been recognized; currently, 10 EM programs exist. However, only SLMC-QC has integrated PoCUS into their curriculum, commencing their Ultrasound program in February 2013. East Avenue Medical Center EM department has recently started using PoCUS, and Makati Medical Center is in the process of acquiring a machine to establish their program within a year.
