Basic information
Courses are held 2-3 times annually since 2003 and take place according to the method of SGUM (Swiss society for ultrasound in medicine). This implies several organizational conditions, all above, practical part of the course comprises minimum 50% of the duration of the course, participants take part on mutual lectures and work together in groups. Maximum number of groups during the course reaches 5 and each group consists of 4-6 participants.
Of note, the number of the participants taking part on each course is maximum 30 (www.sgum.ch).
Each group has its own assigned tutor and working place (with one ultrasound device), where the practical part of the course takes part. Lectures with demonstration last 45 minutes, practical exercises another 60 minutes.
Methodics SGUM, embraces several modules, which encompass different courses such as: basic, advanced, final, „refresher“, Doppler, neck, thorax, mamma etc. with accurate specification of the themes and conditions needed to be full filled by participants (mostly regarding the number of performed examinations and time passed from taking part at the previous course)
During the Congress of European society for ultrasound in medicine – EUROSON 2006 (18th European Congress of ultrasound) held in Bologna, 15.-19.09.2006, the decision about sequential unification of methods of training in ultrasonography were made and swiss methodics of SGUM was proposed as the basis for the education.
Scientific content of the courses is provided mainly by professionals in the field of ultrasonography from Switzerland, all above Ass. professor M.D. Jan Tuma from Zürich and the Head of the department M.D. Karl-Peter Jungius from Schwitzerland (president of the section for radiology of SGUM), who work as lecturers as well as tutors. Further specialist are e.g. prof. dr. med. A. Bock, from Aarau (specialist for renal biopsies), prof. dr. med. G. Mathis from Austria (specialist for sonography of respiratory and gastrointestinal tract), Ass.prof. F. Záťura, M.D., PhD. (Head of the Department of Clinic of Urology from Olomouc), M.D. J. Beňačka, PhD. (Head of the Slovak society for ultrasound in Medicine – SSUM), prof. M. Tajtáková, M.D., CSc., (LF UPJŠ and FNLP in Košice), dr. med. J. Prim (Zürich, vice-president of SGUM) and other considerable specialists in cooperation with specialists in ultrasonography from Košice.
Recent history
During the introductory course in 2003, 15 specialists in ultrasonography from Switzerland were present. Relevant part of the SGUM board was present on the previous pilot course, during which 10 participants from Switzerland, Germany and Austria, took part as well. One of the most important european specialist in the field of sonography prof. dr. med. Wolfram Wermke from Charité in Berlin presented his lecture.
Assessment of the events in the system of systematic education
All of the courses are confered with CME credits according to the methodology of SACCME, which are going to be accepted since 2008, on the base of bilateral agreement by EACCME (European acreditation board for systematic education).
Ultrasound devices
Ultrasound devices of middle and higher class are disposable, for some special procedures (e.g. negative contrast – „bubbles“, training of the biopsies and likewise), we also provide devices from the series „high end“. We would like to acknowledge our thank to the companies, which provide ultrasound machines and participate on successful running of the courses, by presence of their professionally skilled employees.
Place of the courses ?
Courses are held thanks to the helpfulness of the directory of the hospital in the place of „Clubs for the employees“ (Kluby zamestnancov) of Faculty Hospital of L. Pasteur in Košice on Trieda SNP no. 1. in Košice, Slovakia. Participants appreciate the possibility to examine „interesting cases“ patients with their approval. Eminent foreign and native specialists can be helpfull in making the differential diagnosis of concrete patologic cases.