Family Medicine POCUS Educator's Certificate Program

The yearlong STFM FM Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Educator's Certificate Program trains family medicine residency faculty to serve as their program’s POCUS champion with the skills to train family medicine residents how to effectively use POCUS. The program is accepting applications for the 2026–2027 class. Applicants must be current STFM members.

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More About POCUS in Family Medicine and the Certificate Program

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is sometimes referred to as the 21st century stethoscope. POCUS can help make decisions quickly for patients at the bedside, decrease time to diagnosis, and better triage who needs subspecialty care.Now, the updated ACGME guidelines recommend teaching this in family medicine residency education. Yet, there is a gap in trained faculty and established curriculum for teaching POCUS.The STFM Family Medicine POCUS Educator Certificate Program targets these gaps and focuses on solutions to help grow and support POCUS education in family medicine.Participants in the certificate program receive:

  • A POCUS curriculum tailored for family medicine faculty
  • Robust in-person and virtual workshops
  • A series of case-based online modules on targeted topics
  • Image review with feedback by experienced faculty
  • Monthly education review sessions to review POCUS cases
  • A final assessment with both written and in-person skills exams

How to Apply for the POCUS Educator's Certificate Program

The application window for the 2026–2027 cohort of the FM POCUS Educator's Certificate Program is open through January 15, 2026.To apply, submit the following:

  • Complete the application form.
  • Be prepared to upload your CV, a letter of support from your department chair or program director, and a sample ultrasound clip.

Benefits of the Family Medicine POCUS Certificate Program

Hands-On Training

Practice POCUS techniques and image acquisition, understand clinical indications and evidence on the use of POCUS at the bedside, and learn how to communicate and document POCUS scans.

Building a POCUS Program

Receive practical guidance on how to advocate as a POCUS champion, bill for POCUS, and make financial arguments for implementing POCUS training at your institution.

Teach POCUS to Others

Learn how to implement a POCUS curriculum in your residency program and practice being an effective POCUS preceptor.

Connect With Other FM Educators

Connect with a network of FM POCUS enthusiasts around the country.

Eligibility, Schedule, and Cost

Eligibility
Schedule
Cost

Eligibility

Applicants must be or have:

  • Current STFM members (if you're not a member and you're interested in the fellowship, you can join STFM online)
  • A family medicine faculty member with resources to practice POCUS regularly, including access to ultrasound equipment for both faculty and residents
  • A letter of support from your program director or chair stating you have the time and resources to fully participate
  • The ability to share deidentified ultrasound images with STFM's image review software
  • Committed to attend the following: 
    • Monthly 2-hour virtual education review meetings
    • Two in-person workshops on May 1–2, 2026, and March 20–21, 2027
    • Virtual full-day workshop in fall 2026
    • In-person skills assessment connected to the second in-person workshop

If you have any issues with your application, contact Jenni Minor at jminor@stfm.org.

Schedule

October 2025–January 2026
Applications opened in October 2025
Deadline for certificate program applications is January 15, 2026
Program acceptance notifications sent out in February 2026
Spring 2026
Certificate program launches April 2026
May 1–2, 2026: Introductory in-person workshop at the STFM Annual Spring Conference in New Orleans, LA
May 2026–March 2027
Participate in monthly 2-hour virtual education reviews
Submit images to be reviewed by the core faculty on our image review platform
Complete online modules within the STFM Learning Management System
Fall 2026
Full day virtual POCUS Educator’s Workshop on Zoom - Date to be announced
March 2027
March 20–21, 2027: Advanced POCUS workshop held at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Workshop held on March 20
Skills assessment held on March 21
April 2027
All program requirements due, including written assessment

Cost

The registration fee for the STFM FM POCUS Educator's Certificate Program is $4500. This covers the session fees for two in-person preconference workshops, a full-day virtual workshop, monthly image review, a set of 10 online modules, and more. Participants pay travel expenses. 

You and/or your department or institution will need support for:

  • Travel to the workshop at the 2026 STFM Annual Spring Conference
  • Travel to the 2027 Advanced Workshop
  • Time investment for monthly meetings and scanning to fulfill the education and image review requirements

Questions?

If you have questions about this conference, contact Jenni Minor at (913) 800-5651 or the email link below.

EMAIL QUESTIONS

Contact Us

11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway

Leawood, KS 66211

(800) 274-7928

stfmoffice@stfm.org 

 

 

Events

January 21, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: GME Leadership Webinar Series: "Staying In: What Sustains GME Leaders Through the Long Haul"

January 29–February 1, 2026: STFM Conference on Medical Student Education

February 4, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Rethinking Bias in AI – Why Algorithmic Bias is Only the Tip of the Iceberg"

February 9, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Debt Management for Doctors" in Partnership With Equitable Advisors

March 11, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: GME Leadership Webinar Series: "The Human Side of Leadership: Managing People and Ourselves"

March 31, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Integrity, Identity, and Inclusion: Reframing Professionalism for a New Era"

May 2–6, 2026: STFM Annual Spring Conference

May 13, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: GME Leadership Webinar Series: "Defining Success on Your Own Terms"

June 10, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Staying at the Table: Leading for Health Equity While Protecting Your Peace"

August 31–September 2, 2026: STFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement

Due Dates

January 9, 2026: Apply to Be Scholarship Leader for New Faculty Scholars Program

January 15, 2026: Family Medicine Call for Papers: Theme Issue on Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Family Medicine Education

January 15, 2026: Apply for POCUS Educator's Certificate Program

January 27, 2026: Call for Proposals to Present at 2026 STFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement

February 16, 2026: Apply for Medical Editing Fellowship

February 16, 2026: Apply to Be Faculty for POCUS Educator's Certificate Program

February 23, 2026: Representative to Annals of Family Medicine Board of Directors

February 24, 2026: Apply to Be Faculty for MSEDI Fellowship

February 28, 2026: Apply for STFM Advocacy Scholarship for New Faculty

March 1, 2026: Family Medicine Call for Papers: Theme Issue on Scope of Practice in Family Medicine

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