This project, part of the 'POCUS For the People' initiative, represents Phase 3 of a longitudinal partnership led by the University of Colorado in collaboration with Dr. Philip Angelides. We aim to bridge the 'diagnostic divide' by moving beyond basic skills to advanced clinical applications and independent local instruction. This project represents Phase 3 of a longitudinal point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training initiative at Hospital Nacional Juan José Ortega de Coatepeque, Guatemala. Building on prior phases involving medical students and internal medicine clinicians, this phase focuses on skill consolidation, advanced application, and sustainability through a 5-day intensive, hands-on training workshop.
The workshop will deliver focused instruction on high-yield applications, including pleural effusion, ascites, lung ultrasound, and procedural guidance, relevant to the local burden of disease, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever, cirrhosis, pneumonia, and malignancy. Training will combine didactics, small-group bedside scanning, case-based learning, and real-time image feedback.
A key component of Phase 3 is the continued development of local POCUS internist champions. Select participants will receive advanced instruction in both clinical application and teaching methodology, strengthening local capacity to lead future trainings independently. The curriculum will incorporate Spanish-language, open-access materials and structured assessment tools to ensure consistency and reproducibility.
This phase emphasizes transition from external support to local ownership, reinforcing a sustainable, scalable model for integrating POCUS into routine clinical care in resource-limited settings, particularly in Central and Latin America.
The primary beneficiaries are internal medicine clinicians at Hospital Nacional Juan José Ortega de Coatepeque, a rural public hospital serving a large population with limited access to diagnostic imaging and no on-site radiology services.
These clinicians manage a high burden of infectious, hepatic, oncologic, and pulmonary diseases, often relying solely on clinical exam and basic imaging. By strengthening their POCUS skills through intensive, hands-on training, this project directly addresses critical diagnostic gaps.
Patients across the region will benefit from more timely and accurate bedside diagnosis, improved procedural safety, and enhanced clinical decision-making. The continued development of local POCUS champions will expand the program’s reach to future trainees, amplifying long-term impact.
This project is expected to:
• Strengthen clinician proficiency and confidence in core and advanced POCUS applications
• Improve real-time bedside diagnosis of conditions such as pleural effusions, ascites, and pulmonary pathology
• Enhance procedural safety through ultrasound-guided techniques
• Advance the development of local POCUS educators capable of sustaining and expanding training efforts
• Support integration of POCUS into routine clinical workflows
Program impact will be assessed through pre- and post-workshop evaluations, image quality review, and participant feedback. Educational materials and outcomes will be disseminated through bilingual reports, abstracts, and potential manuscripts.
By focusing on intensive training and local capacity-building, Phase 3 represents a critical step toward long-term sustainability and regional scale-up.
Phase 3 of this longitudinal initiative returned to Hospital Nacional Juan José Ortega de Coatepeque — a rural public hospital in southwestern Guatemala serving a high-burden population with extremely limited access to diagnostic imaging. Building on prior phases, this 5-day intensive workshop focused on skill consolidation and advanced clinical application with a select cohort of internal medicine clinicians already identified as local POCUS champions.
The curriculum extended into high-yield applications directly relevant to local disease burden — pleural effusion, ascites, lung ultrasound, DVT assessment, procedural guidance, and limited cardiac ultrasound. The material was demanding, yet the group remained consistently engaged. What stood out most was their collaborative approach: participants gave each other structured feedback during image acquisition and worked together to integrate findings into clinical reasoning — exactly the peer-driven dynamic that makes a train-the-trainer model sustainable.
This phase represents a deliberate transition toward local ownership. These champions are now equipped to lead future trainings independently, reducing reliance on external faculty and advancing diagnostic equity in a setting where it is needed most.
