PgCert in Point-of-Care Ultrasound
Our Postgraduate Certificate in Point of Care Ultrasound in the Acute Setting (PgCert in PoCUS) is offered in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University. It is designed for healthcare professionals looking for a structured and comprehensive approach to mastering ultrasound techniques across acute and emergency clinical settings. The course comprises six individual modules worth 10 credits each, totalling the 60-credit requirement for a PgCert. These modules may also be taken separately as 10-credit micro-credentials. You can find out more here.
Next term dates:
17th September – 19th November 2026
Cost: £5,400 (payable in instalments)
Venue: Terracotta Court (ground floor), 167 Tower Bridge Road, London, SE1 3LN
What is a micro-credential?
A micro-credential is a short, specific course of study, with an assessment which earns credits. The Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme is a national UK university scheme to allow credits to be earned and accumulated. For example, a typical postgraduate diploma is 120 credits, a typical PgCert is 60 credits. Each of our micro-credentials earns 10 credits, with each credit representing the notional equivalent of 10 hours of study.
What is the commitment?
Each micro-credential requires 100 hours of notional study, most of which will be self-directed learning. However, for micro-credentials with a practical component, you must also complete a minimum of 21 hours of in-person, hands-on training at our London-based training centre if this is your first micro-credential with us, or 15 hours if you have already attended one of our other micro-credentials. You can enrol on up to two micro-credentials per term.
What are the entry requirements?
- Professional Registration: Registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), or Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).
- Educational Background: A relevant first degree, such as MB BS (or equivalent), or a bachelor’s degree, ideally at first-class or 2:1 level.
- Clinical Experience: Current employment in an appropriate role within the NHS or a UK-based private healthcare provider, with evidence of basic ultrasound experience.
Entry requirements
All applicants need to have had some previous experience with ultrasound and be confident that they can manage the theoretical and practical learning required on the course.
Candidates also need to meet the following criteria:
- Professional Registration: Registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), or Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).
- Educational Background: A relevant first degree, such as MB BS (or equivalent), or a bachelor’s degree, ideally at first-class or 2:1 level.
- Clinical Experience: Current employment in an appropriate role within the NHS or a UK-based private healthcare provider, with evidence of basic ultrasound experience.
Please note: We currently do not accept applications from international students. Applicants must have a valid work visa and the right to work in the UK.
Programme structure
The PgCert in Point-of-Care Ultrasound is achieved through the successful completion of six modules, each worth 10 credits. The Ultrasound Image Acquisition & Optimisation module is mandatory, while you can choose the remaining five from the following options:
- Fundamental Cardiac PoCUS
- Extended Cardiac PoCUS
- Abdominal PoCUS for Physicians
- Lung PoCUS
- Vascular Ultrasound
- Ultrasound Guided Nerve Blockade
- Abdominal PoCUS for Physicians
- Haemodynamic Assessment
- Departmental PoCUS Leadership
- Abdominal and Scrotal PoCUS for Surgeons *New
- PoCUS Applications of Ultrasound for Skin Lumps *New
- PoCUS for Pain and Bleeding in Early Pregnancy *New
- Advancing PoCUS: From Evidence to Implementation *New
Please note: you can only enrol on up to two modules per term.
How to apply
What you will learn
How you will learn
Each PgCert module is equivalent to 100 hours of study, which includes at least 21 hours of in-person, hands-on training at our London-based training centre for your first module, and 15 hours for each subsequent module. These hours are tracked and mandatory for completing the modules. This doesn’t apply to the Ultrasound Image Acquisition and Optimisation module which is run fully online.
- Online Learning: Each module includes online video lectures to support your theoretical understanding of ultrasound techniques.
- In-Person Practical Sessions: You will attend practical sessions at our training centre in London, where you’ll be scanning human volunteers and state-of-the-art simulators with pathologies under the supervision of experienced faculty. This will be supported by lectures and live demonstrations.
How you will be assessed
To earn the PgCert in Point-of-Care Ultrasound, you must complete six required modules, accumulating a total of 60 credits. The Ultrasound Image Acquisition & Optimisation Module is mandatory for all participants, while the remaining five modules can be selected based on your clinical interests or needs.
- You must complete the required number of in-person practical training hours—21 hours for your first module and 15 hours for each subsequent module—before your assessment day.
- At the end of each term, you’ll need to complete both written and practical assessments:
-
- Knowledge is assessed through a multiple-choice exam, incorporating still images where relevant.
- Practical skills are evaluated by acquiring optimal images on healthy volunteers and simulated pathological cases using ultrasound simulators.
Schedule
The in-person training sessions will run from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Attendance on the first and last days (assessment day) is mandatory. Attendance on the second day is highly recommended to ensure you gain the foundational knowledge essential for further training. The remaining days are flexible. However, you must complete at least 21 hours of in-person training at our London-based centre for your first module, and 15 hours for each subsequent module, before the assessment day.
What doctors say about our PgCert and micro-credentials programme
Don’t Want to Miss Out?
Register your interest, and we’ll notify you as soon as the next course dates are open for booking!
Subscribe to Bromley Emergency Courses’ weekly email newsletter to keep up with the latest emergency medicine training news and courses
*By proceeding you give your consent to be contacted via email with updates on courses and events by Bromley Emergency Courses. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. We will never share your details with 3rd parties and will only use your email to send you information about our upcoming courses and other offers.