The World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) is dedicated to the advancement of ultrasound by encouraging research, international cooperation, and improving communication and understanding about the role of ultrasound in medicine and biology.

The International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), founded in 1951, is one of the world’s oldest and largest student-run organisations representing 1.3 million medical students from 130 countries around the globe. It is the ideal organisation for WFUMB to collaborate with to develop student ultrasound education (SUSE). The evolution from traditional time- and process-based training concepts to competency-based ones is a paradigm shift. Major barriers to the widespread use of ultrasound are the need for more training early in students’ courses and the shortage of adequately trained educator able to teach the practical aspects of the technique.

The aim of a collaboration of WFUMB with IFMSA would be resolve controversies in student ultrasound education (SUSE) and to develop a common curriculum. This will be a difficult task due to many different disciplines that use ultrasound and varying experience and opinions. The discussion paper should provide an opportunity for input from universities, teachers, students and regulatory bodies to discuss and hopefully solve some of the following issues:

• What should be taught to whom and when? Regulatory bodies (government (state, federal)) and universities must determine if SUSE is mandatory or voluntary and if teaching is preclinical, clinical or both, and the ratio of theoretical and practical teaching.
• Identify the scientific and educational societies that could contribute to the training.
• Identify the teachers from all the relevant specialties.
• Identify students who will participate in the teaching and also contribute to peer teaching.
• Develop standardized learning objectives including basic principles, understanding how to use the machines, anatomy, topography, examination technique, terminology, reporting, quality issues, safety issues, interventions and basic pathology).
• Develop teaching materials such as textbooks, e-learning tools, videos, podcasts, etc.
• Identify the resources, including ultrasound equipment and simulators (skill labs) for practical teaching.
• Develop the systems for evaluating knowledge acquisition including theoretical and practical skills.
• Identify where the funding will come from to pay for the equipment and teachers