Our Mission

The Ultrasound Section strives to:

• Provide excellent and innovative point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education to students, residents, fellows, and faculty
• Advance the scope and practice of emergency ultrasound through original research, scholarly work, and dissemination

We care deeply about diversity, equity, and inclusion and incorporate these ideals into all aspects of our mission, including recruitment, community outreach, global health, and most importantly, patient care.

Leadership

The Ultrasound Section comprises experts in ultrasound application, research, and education, including:

• Kavita Gandhi, Ultrasound Director, Parnassus; Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Program Director
• Nancy Anaya, Ultrasound Director, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG); Co-Lead, Summer Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program for Underrepresented Minorities in Medicine
• Sally Graglia, Director, Medical Student Ultrasound Education
• Margaret Lin-Martore, Director, Pediatric Emergency Ultrasound, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital at Mission Bay
• Ashkon Shaahinfar, Director, Emergency Ultrasound, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital at Oakland
• Aaron Kornblith, National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded physician-scientist evaluating the use of machine learning and POCUS integration in the diagnostic evaluation of sick and injured patients
• Maytal Firnberg, Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Education Lead

Education

The Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is pleased to offer the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship. The one-year program, which provides training in emergency ultrasound application, is open to graduates of emergency medicine residency programs.

Our fellowship produces expert emergency medicine sonographers proficient in ultrasound education and research. Curriculum consists of scanning shifts supervised by ultrasound fellowship-trained faculty within the emergency departments at Moffitt/Long Hospital, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG), and the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, as well as individualized video review, didactic sessions, and the option to take a clinical research course in the Fall. Compensation is commensurate with the PGY level set by UCSF.

In addition to the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Program, our department offers a Pediatric Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship that accepts fellows trained in pediatric emergency medicine (PEM). This program draws on our faculty's deep faculty expertise in pediatric ultrasound's clinical applications, education, and research, and offers scanning experience at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Mission Bay and in Oakland.

Resident curriculum 

We are proud to be an Area of Distinction (AOD) within the Department of Emergency Medicine’s Residency Program. The Ultrasound AOD is an opportunity for residents to be exposed to fellowship-level ultrasound education and includes image review; advanced ultrasound-guided procedures. including regional anesthesia; and review of the latest ultrasound literature. 

Beyond the emergency department, our residents and fellows participate in community programs at local high schools and curriculum development for the Summer Emergency Medicine Fellowship.

Medical students

Medical student point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education is a high priority for the Department of Emergency Medicine and members of our section work to increase POCUS training. In addition to the ultrasound electives listed below, there are various didactic and hands-on POCUS sessions woven throughout Foundations 1 (F1), Introduction to Career Launch, and Career Launch. These sessions are led by faculty in our department.

If you have questions, ideas, or want to get involved, please reach out to the Director of Medical Student Ultrasound Education.

• EM 170.13: Introduction to Bedside Ultrasound
• EM 140.44: Emergency Medicine Ultrasound

Research

The Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship offers unparalleled opportunities for participation in clinical and translational research in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Our program boasts multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH)- and National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded faculty members who are conducting cutting-edge POCUS-related research, including prospective clinical trials, enhanced diagnostic strategies, artificial intelligence applications, and industry validation studies.

Fellows have the chance to engage in these innovative research projects and even kickstart their own research careers. UCSF consistently ranks among the top institutions for federal funding, providing exceptional resources and support for those eager to advance their research skills and knowledge.

Ultrasound resources

The Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) website is a digital resource created and edited by our PEM POCUS faculty. The site contains full open-access medical education in POCUS.