FAQs
1. How do I achieve CPoCUS-Independent Practitioner certification?
Step 1: Successfully complete an introductory ultrasound course that is recognized by CPoCUS (eg. MUSE 1.0).
Step 2: Acquire 50 supervised scans in the core areas (Cardiac, Aorta, Abdomen, First Trimester Obstetrics, Pleural Effusion, Pneumothorax). The MUSE 2.0 course offers the opportunity to acquire the 50 supervised scans by providing 50 standardized patients. Our CPoCUS-IP certified instructors assess the quality of each scan and determine whether the scan is determinate (i.e. of acceptable quality to count towards the 50 required scans). The 50 scans can also be obtained by hiring an CPoCUS-IP certified individual to supervise your scans.
Step 3: Once all scans have been acquired and theory has been reviewed, our participants can apply for MUSE 3.0 to complete the CPoCUS written, visual, and practical certification examinations at a convenient date. Register here.
2. What are the costs for achieving CPoCUS IP certification?
The costs for the three steps of CPoCUS IP certification are as follows:
a) Introductory ultrasound course: Completing a CPoCUS-approved introductory course generally takes around eight hours (e.g. MUSE 1.0 is one day) with a cost of starting around $1500 for ultrasound machines, instructors, standardized patients, venue hire, and catering. The MUSE 1.0 course is among the lowest priced introductory courses on the market.
b) Determinate scans: Acquiring the 50 determinate supervised scans generally takes two days (e.g. MUSE 2.0 is two days) with a cost around $3000. The scans can also be acquired in bootcamp-style three day courses (around $5200) or by hiring a CPoCUS member with IP certification (around $200 per hour for two to three days in a hospital or clinic setting).
c) CPoCUS examinations: Attempting the three CPoCUS exams generally takes around six hours (e.g. MUSE 3.0 is 5-6 hours) with a cost around $800. The exams may also be included in bootcamp-style three day courses (around $5200). The examiner must be a CPoCUS member with IP certification. To access the exams, there is a CPoCUS membership due of $25 for new members and IP candidates. Upon successful completion of the exams, there is a CPoCUS administrative fee of $100 to issue an IP certificate that is recorded in a national CPoCUS registry of IPs.
Note: The instructor to learner ratio may affect the cost of certification courses.
3. I was thinking of doing the MUSE 2.0 course without previously doing the MUSE 1.0 course as I already have ultrasound experience from my undergraduate courses and my objective is to start accumulating supervised scans. Is this possible?
Participants in the MUSE 2.0 course must have previously completed a CPoCUS accredited introductory course in point-of-care ultrasound (8-hour minimum), such as MUSE 1.0.
While McGill is a national leader in its undergraduate ultrasound courses, the ultrasound experience gained over four years is not yet recognized by CPoCUS for certification purposes and is not equivalent to completion of a CPoCUS accredited introductory course.
4. I have completed MUSE 1.0 and am interested in taking MUSE 2.0, but I only work part time and have not been able to get proficient at the scans I learned in MUSE 1.0. Will that be a problem?
You have completed the MUSE 1.0 course and therefore are eligible to attend the MUSE 2.0 course even if you have had not much time to practice the ultrasound scanning techniques. The MUSE 2.0 course will allow you to catch-up and review what you had previously learned.
5. The MUSE 1.0 looks a lot like the ultrasound course we received during 1st and 2nd year of FMD at McGill University. I am interested in eventually getting my IP, is it possible to register for the MUSE 2.0 instead?
Participants in the MUSE 2.0 course must have previously completed a CPoCUS accredited introductory course in point-of-care ultrasound (8-hour minimum), such as MUSE 1.0.
While McGill is a national leader in its undergraduate ultrasound courses, the ultrasound experience amassed over four years are not yet recognized by CPoCUS for certification purposes and are not equivalent to completion of a CPoCUS accredited introductory course.
6. Je suis intéressé à suivre le cours, cependant j'ai un empêchement cette année. Est-il possible de garder mon adresse pour l'an prochain?
Merci pour votre intérêt à suivre nos cours d’échographie ciblée. Nous vous tiendrons sur notre liste de participants intéressés.
7. The course I am interested in is full. Can I be put on a waitlist?
If the course is full, we are happy to put you on our waitlist. As we receive few course cancellations, please consider other dates.
8. I have completed an EDE course and was wondering if I am eligible to take the MUSE 2.0 course?
Yes, if you have completed an EDE1 course, you are eligible to take the MUSE 2.0 course. The EDE1 course is recognized by CPoCUS as an introductory course in point-of-care ultrasound (8-hour minimum). You will be able to acquire scans for CPoCUS Independent Practitioner certification in the MUSE 2.0 course.
9. Does the MUSE 2.0 course give all the required scans for IP certification within the 2 days? Is this feasible?
The MUSE 2.0 course is accredited by the Canadian Point of Care Ultrasound Society (CPoCUS) and therefore supervised scans during this course count towards achieving Independent Practitioner (IP) status. The MUSE 2.0 course offers the opportunity to acquire the 50 supervised scans by providing a minimum of 60 standardized female patients. Our IP-certified instructors assess the quality of each scan and determine whether the scan is determinate (i.e. of acceptable quality to count towards the 50 required scans). The 50 supervised scans must be in the five CPoCUS core areas (cardiac, abdomen, basic lung, aorta, first trimester pregnancy)
10. I am a PGY 1 Resident in internal medicine. Would the MUSE 1.0 be suitable for my field? What scans are specifically taught during it? Will this course help me achieve IP status in the future?
Yes, the MUSE 1.0 course is well suited to the field of Internal Medicine. The course has been taken by many internists who gave it excellent feedback. The scanning techniques that are taught in the MUSE 1.0 course are applicable to internal medicine for both the in-patient and out-patient setting.
The MUSE 1.0 introductory course is recognized by the Canadian Point of Care Ultrasound Society (CPoCUS) as an entry level course and a prerequisite for the MUSE 2.0 advanced course. To achieve IP certification, 50 supervised scans are required in the core areas (cardiac, abdomen, basic lung, aorta, first trimester pregnancy). The MUSE 2.0 course offers the opportunity to scan 50 standardized patients by providing a minimum of 60 standardized female patients. Our IP-certified instructors assess the quality of each scan and determine whether the scan is determinate (i.e. of acceptable quality to count towards the 50 required scans). Once 50 scans have been acquired, a CPoCUS member can attempt the CPoCUS written, visual, and practical examinations for IP certification at a later date.
The scanning techniques taught in MUSE 1.0 and MUSE 2.0 cover the core areas for CPoCUS-IP certification:
Cardiac (sub‐xiphoid) for pericardial effusion
Abdominal for free fluid
Basic lung for pneumothorax, pleural effusions, A & B profile
Aorta for AAA
Pelvic for first trimester intra‐uterine pregnancy and presence of intra-abdominal free fluid
11. Can you inform me if it is possible to register for the two-day MUSE 1.0 course?
The MUSE 1.0 introductory course is a one-day course. It is no longer available as a two-day course. The course takes place in a community clinic where ultrasound is actively used.
The MUSE 2.0 advanced course is a two-day course and can only be taken upon completion of an introductory ultrasound course. It takes place at the Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning at McGill University or in a hospital setting.
12. What is your cancellation policy?
There is an administration fee of $150 if the course is cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
100% refund if written cancellation received 6 weeks prior to the course (minus $150 administrative fee).
50% refund if written cancellation received between 4 to 6 weeks prior to the course (minus $150 administrative fee).
0% refund if written cancellation received less than 4 weeks prior to the course.
Please note there is one registration fee for all participants for all categories.
13. I am a resident in family medicine and interested in taking the MUSE courses. As a resident, I already attended 2 full day sessions on ultrasound. Will this make me eligible for the MUSE 2.0 course on the track towards IP certification?
Participants in the MUSE 2.0 course must have previously completed a CPoCUS accredited introductory course in point-of-care ultrasound (8-hour minimum). Ultrasound experience amassed in sessions not recognized by CPoCUS are not equivalent to completion of a CPoCUS accredited introductory course. Please refer to our home page for further information.
14. Can you please confirm if there is a resident discount for your courses?
Please note there is one registration fee for all participants regardless of category.
15. Bonjour, avez vous des cours en français?
Tous nos cours sont enseignés en anglais et en français par des instructeurs bilingues.
16. I am a CCFP(EM) resident and was considering registering for the MUSE 2.0 course. As I have already accumulated around 20 supervised scans for each core area, I was wondering if it was possible to do 1 day of supervised scanning and 1 of custom stream (gallbladder, kidney, advanced cardiac etc...) during the 2 day course?
It is certainly possible to do 1 day of supervised scanning and 1 day of custom scanning. The MUSE 2.0 course is tailored to the needs of the participant who wishes to achieve certification or improve in focused areas. The CORE modules we cover for CPoCUS certification stream include:
o Cardiac (sub‐xiphoid) for pericardial effusion
o Abdominal for free fluid
o Basic lung for pneumothorax, pleural effusions, A & B profile
o Aorta for AAA
o Pelvic for first trimester intra‐uterine pregnancy and presence of intra-abdominal free fluid
Modules available for custom stream include:
o Gallbladder for cholelithiasis and cholecystitis
o Advanced cardiac: parasternal long, short, apical four chamber
o Kidney for renal colic or acute kidney injury
o IVC for volume status
o Shock patient
o Lower limb for DVT
o Knee for identifying tendinopathy or joint effusion
17. How many credits can I earn for taking a MUSE ECHO course?
If you are taking the MUSE 1.0 course, you can earn 27 CFPC credits.
If you are taking the MUSE 2.0 course, you can earn 48 CFPC credits. An additional 48 credits can be earned for a total of an exceptional 96 credits if you complete the CPoCUS Maintenance of Competency Program.
Please see our Information-CME Credits page for more details.
18. How many credits can I earn for teaching a MUSE ECHO course?
If you are teaching the MUSE 1.0 or the MUSE 2.0 course, you can earn 1 non-certified CFPC credit per hour of teaching and per hour of preparation time. The MUSE 1.0 course is a 9 hr course and the MUSE 2.0 course is a 16 hr course.
Please see our Information-CME Credits page for more details.
19. Bonjour, je suis médecin de famille au Québec. Je pratique en cabinet et je fais de la pédiatrie sociale. Je suis un peu mêlée avec toutes les dénominations de cours (edu, muse, etc.). J’ai vu sur le site canadien qu’il existe une formation pour médecin de famille. Est-ce que votre formation muse est conçue dans ce sens? Mon objectif est de pouvoir utiliser l’échographie pour les pathologies fréquentes en cabinet et d’avoir les accréditations requises pour que mes évaluations soient reconnues. Muse 1 et 2 me permettraient-ils d’atteindre cet objectif?
Lorsque nous avons conçu le cours MUSE en 2013, nous l’avons fait avec le médecin de famille polyvalent en tête. Nous trouvions que les cours existants ne répondaient pas aux besoins du médecin de famille qui fait plus que simplement l’urgence. Si vous regardez le contenu de nos cours, vous verrez que nous enseignons d’autres applications que nous considérons importantes et pratiques.
Le cours MUSE 2.0 a un volet ´custom’ qui permet aussi aux participants de parfaire certaines applications qui sont plus importantes dans leurs pratiques, par exemple les vues cardiaques avancées, la grossesse ou la vésicule biliaire.
Pour que vos évaluations soient reconnues, il devient important d'obtenir le certification national SCÉC (https://www.cpocus.ca/certification-tracks/certification-process/).
Nous divisons les étapes de certification. Nous sommes d’avis que pédagogiquement il est avantageux d'apprendre par étapes pour avoir le temps de mettre en pratique les compétences de base avant de passer à des compétences avancées. Vous pouvez faire l’examen de certification avec nous une fois MUSE 1.0 & 2.0 sont complétés.
20. Est-ce que le MUSE 1.0 est équivalent à l'ÉDU 1?
Oui.