Education News 2024
EduCom Update December 2024
2024 was an exciting year for EduCom, with a total of 168 participants attending Module 1 workshops in Los Angeles, Leuven, Tokyo, Campinas – our first workshop to take place in Latin America, and Malmö.
Hybrid Module 1 workshops, combining the new IBUS eLearning course with an in-person workshop, saw 117 participants in the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong, The Netherlands and the USA.
The IBUS eLearning course was launched publicly in 2024 as a self-directed program to all those interested in learning more about Intestinal Ultrasound in IBD.
Module 2 hands-on training has continued at IBUS centers, and we are excited to have welcomed training centers in new regions, including Costa Rica, Malaysia and Hong Kong. In Spring 2024, an online logbook system was implemented to facilitate continuous monitoring of trainees’ progress during Module 2 placements
Module 3 workshops, the final part of the IBUS educational curriculum, took place during ECCO 2024 in Stockholm and for the first time at DDW in Washington.
The first IBUSXP – Masterclass and certification for the experienced IUS performer took place in Lüneburg, Germany in November 2024, dedicated to experienced ultrasound practitioners obtaining the IBUS certification.
Designed for IBUS certified practitioners who want to expand their knowledge further, the Advanced Virtual Workshop “Pelvic Sonographic Imaging in IBD” was held in November 2024, featuring lectures and virtual "hands-on" sessions.
Finally, IBUS webinars on various topics have been offered throughout the year - IBUS members can watch these on demand via the IBUS members´ area.
Looking to 2025…
Module 1 workshops are scheduled in Houston, Prague, and Copenhagen as well as being planned in Kuwait and a further location in Asia. Hybrid Module 1 workshops in the US, Taiwan, Belgium, Italy, Israel and other locations are also under discussion. A Module 3 workshop will take place at ECCO 2025 in Berlin and we are in the process of organising another at DDW 2025, in addition to a virtual Module 3 option being planned for late 2025.
We’re excited to also announce that an IBUSXP course is planned for the second half of 2025, as well as a new Advanced Virtual Workshop. Stay tuned for more updates!
Key initiatives of EduCom for 2025 include a "Train the Trainers" program, evaluation of the IUS curriculum for radiologists, curriculum development for practitioner nurses, deeper collaboration with PedCom and the standardization of the IBUS curriculum as part of the IBUS eIUS Ed Project.
As always, EduCom warmly welcomes applications from new centers interested in becoming Module 2 training sites.
A kind reminder that applications are open to all IBUS members for the 4 open seats in the Education Committee for 2025 until January 13th, 2025 – we would be delighted to hear from you! Please submit your application here.
The IBUS educational committee wishes you a happy festive period and looks forward to further advancing and disseminating the use of Intestinal Ultrasound in 2025!
EduCom Update October 2024
Workshops
Here are the ongoing workshops we currently offer:
- Module 1: Multinational intensive 2 - 3-day face-to-face workshop
- Regional Hybrid Module 1: Theoretical and didactic training via the IBUS eLearning course combined with one day in-person hands-on training involving patients
- XP Masterclass: For experienced ultrasound practitioners, includes e-learning followed by a one-day in-person session with a theoretical and practical exam
- Advanced workshops: These courses are for trainees who have completed their IBUS curriculum and would like to deepen their knowledge in IUS. Later this year we will host the online advanced workshop “Pelvic sonographic imaging in IBD”
You can find the list of workshops and other events on our website here.
IBUS eLearning
We are delighted to open access to the IBUS eLearning course to all.
Completion of this course is the first step in the journey of the IBUS curriculum and is open to all those interested in learning more about Intestinal Ultrasound in IBD.
Course content:
- Module A: Ultrasound Principles and Machine Familiarization
- Module B: Intestinal Ultrasound Preparation and Technique
- Module C: Radiological Features of Normal and Abnormal Bowel
Further information regarding the IBUS eLearning course can be found here.
Standardization of the IBUS curriculum
As part of the IBUS eIUS Ed Project (Development of eLearning Platform For Standardization, Development ofCompetency Measures and Dissemination of Intestinal Ultrasound EducationGlobally), we are working on refining and advancing our educational curriculum. For this purpose, the members of the IBUS eIUS Ed Project group are currently developing Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) for all lectures to define what each course should cover. As part of this project, we are also optimizing the Module 1 Workshop pre/post-course test.
Module 2 Training Centers
We have mapped all the current Module 2 certified training centers and classified them as high-volume centers (performing at least 20 IUS scans per week) or low-volume centers (performing at least 10 IUS scans per week).
We are developing a survey to assess feedback from training centers. A further update will be shared in the next weeks.
General Requirements to become a training center:
- Availability of 8 weeks per year for training.
- At least 10 IUS scans per week.
- The main contact must be a faculty member during a Module 1 workshop.
- A minimum of 2 years of ultrasound experience.
In case you are interested in becoming a training center, please visit our website.
The minimum training requirement for Module 2 participants is 40 scans over 4 weeks.
Train the Trainers
We are developing a project to ensure that all trainers are aligned in their approach. A draft of the proposed training is currently being worked on.
Collaboration with PedCom and ESPGHAN
A very successful workshop was conducted in Milan during the last ESPGHAN congress in May 2024. This event was an appetizer for future collaborations.
We have other projects planned with pediatric gastroenterologists, stay tuned for future updates.
IUS for Nurses and Radiologists
During the London Module 1 workshop (July 2024),half of the participants were radiologists. They require specialized lectures on IBD but tend to learn bowel ultrasound faster than gastroenterologists. We are evaluating whether it is better to maintain mixed courses or offer dedicated courses for radiologists.
We are also developing a curriculum for practitioner nurses in countries where this role exists such as North America, Netherlands and UK. This curriculum will include specific lectures on radiology and anatomy.
Webinars
Our committee has been busy planning a series of webinars which have been extremely successful.
Don´t forget that IBUS members can watch webinars on demand via the
EduCom Update March 2024
The primary objective of the IBUS educational committee is to advance and disseminate the use of Intestinal Ultrasound.
Two Regional Module 1 courses occurred in Canada (for Canadian GIs in November 2023) and in Norway (for Scandinavian GIs in December 2023), introducing IUS to nearly 70 IBD specialists under the guidance of international bowel US experts. The forthcoming Module 1 workshops in 2024 will take place in Leuven (Belgium), Tokyo (Japan), and Campinas (Brazil), with the latter will be the inaugural workshop in Latin America.
National Hybrid Module 1 are being planned to take place in the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Hybrid Module 1 sessions were designed to incorporate an initial e-learning component followed by a one-and-a-half-day in-person meeting focused primarily on hands-on practical experience with patients.
Module 2 hands-on training is ongoing at all IBUS centers, with new centers in Europe, Australia, Asia and the North America joining the IUS educational efforts. A new logbook system is being implemented and will be available in Spring 2024 to facilitate continuous monitoring of trainees’ progress during Module 2 training. IBUS is actively seeking new centers interested in becoming Module 2 training centers, and applications are warmly encouraged.
A Module 3 workshop, focused on finalizing the educational curriculum of IBUS, was conducted during the ECCO meeting 2024 in Stockholm, with the subsequent session scheduled for May 2024 in Washington during the DDW.
This year, specialized modules dedicated to experienced intestinal ultrasound (IBUSXP – Hybrid Masterclass and certification for the experienced IUS performer) in order to receive the IBUS certificate will be organized in Germany in November and most likely in Italy.
The second advanced virtual workshop on contrast-enhanced ultrasound and post-surgical findings was conducted in December 2023, featuring lectures and virtual "hands-on" sessions. Plans are underway to host a second advanced virtual workshop on pelvic sonographic imaging in November 2024.
IBUS webinars on various topics are consistently offered. In 2024, the first webinar was held in January, with another scheduled for March 2024. Registration is open, and four additional webinars are planned for this year.
After many years of dedicated service, Prof. Dan Carter recently retired from the educational committee. His significant contributions to ultrasound education are deeply appreciated. Dr. Marjorie Argollo from São Paulo, Brazil, was elected to join the educational committee.
The future goals of the educational committee include implementing an e-learning platform to expand access to hybrid Module 1 sessions, utilizing the logbook effectively during Module 2 to ensure thorough training of new intestinal ultrasound practitioners, continuously proposing new case discussions through webinars, and offering engaging workshops for graduates of the three designated modules.
Education News 2023
A very successful module 1 workshop took place in Lüneburg-Germany with 40 participants from Europe, the USA, South America, the Middle East and the Far East, introducing the basics of IUS to new GIs. The next module 1 will take place in Hyderabad, India, and will be the first in the Far East. Regional module 1 workshops were recently introduced and will take place in Canada (for North American GIs) and in Norway ( for Scandinavian GIs) during November and December.
Module 2 hands-on training is continuing in all IBUS centers. During the last months, new centers from Europe, Japan and the USA were recognized as IBUS module 2 training centers. The increase in the number of IBUS-recognized training centers allows easier and faster placement of IUS trainees after the completion of module 2. The IBUS is currently looking for new centers interested in becoming module 2 training centers, and applications for becoming training centers are warmly welcomed.
Module 3 workshop will be carried out during the ECCO meeting in Stockholm, finalizing the educational curriculum of IBUS.
The second advanced virtual workshop on contrast-enhanced ultrasound and post-surgical findings in Crohn’s disease is scheduled for December 2023. This workshop will be led by world-known IUS experts and is directed mainly to more experienced IUS performers who want to broaden their knowledge and expertise in more advanced IUS techniques.
IBUS webinars on various topics are continuously held, and a webinar library is currently open for all IBUS members. In this library, you can find the recording of most of the webinars in case you missed one. A monthly virtual clinical seminar led by American IUS experts are currently opened for the participation of all IBUS members.
IUS-endorsed local short introductory workshops are welcomed by the educational committee. For appliances, please contact the collaboration committee.
The development of a state-of-the-art eLearning platform for modules 1 and 2 is currently in progress, led by IBUS experts. We hope to finalize the development of this novel and exciting educational tool in the next 2 years, allowing state of the art platform for IUS education.
Group photo - Module 1 Lüneburg 2023
Education News 2023
The efforts of the IBUS educational committee is ongoing, with the main goal of promoting the use of IUS. The last two modules and workshop took place in the USA (New York in September 2022 and the recent one in Chicago in March 2023) introducing IUS to close to 70 American IBD specialists. The 2-day workshop in Chicago, run by local organizers Noa Krugliak Cleveland and David Rubin, trained more than 35 candidates under the guidance of international bowel US experts.
The next module 1 workshops in 2023 will take place in Lueneburg (Germany) and Hyderabad (India), with the latter being the first workshop held in the far east.
Module 2 hands-on training is ongoing at all IBUS centers. New centers in Europe, Australia, and the USA have joined the IUS educational efforts. Most participants from previous module 1 workshops were placed in IBUS module 2 training centers. A new logbook system was implemented to allow continuous monitoring of trainees’ achievements during their module 1 training.
A module 3 workshop was carried out during the ECCO meeting in Copenhagen and involved finalising the educational curriculum of IBUS.
The first advanced virtual workshop on pelvic sonographic imaging in Crohn’s disease was organised successfully, lead by 6 international experts from Italy, Israel and Japan, and involved lectures and virtual “hands-on” sessions. A second advanced workshop on intestinal ultrasound in post-operative patients and the use of contrast enhanced ultrasound is planned for this year. Bi-monthly webinars on various topics are continuously held and a webinar library is currently available for IBUS members on our website.
After many years of fruitful work, Prof. Giovanni Maconi has recently stepped down from the educational committee. His past and ongoing contributions to education on ultrasound is greatly appreciated and he was awarded with the first and prestigious IBUS honourable membership during the previous IBUS members meeting. Dr. Federica Furfaro from Milan was elected to join the educational committee.
The future objectives of the educational committee involve the adaptation of the educational syllabus to the increasing worldwide demand for IUS education and the development of state-of-the-art technological educational solutions, namely, an E-learning platform. We currently strive to fulfil this objective in the next 2-3 years.
Group photo - Module 1 Chicago 2023