Abstract
Different surgical and medical specialists increasingly use head and neck
ultrasound and ultrasound-guided interventions as part of their clinical
practice. We need to ensure high quality and standardized practice across
specialties, and this position paper of the European Federation of Societies for
Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) describes the training requirements
for head and neck ultrasound. Traditionally, a minimum number of ultrasound
examinations indicates competence, but this is unreliable, and a general shift
towards competence-based training is ongoing. For each EFSUMB level, we will
outline the theoretical knowledge and skills needed for clinical practice. The
recommendations follow the three EFSUMB competency levels for medical ultrasound
practice. Level 1 describes the skills required to perform essential head and
neck ultrasound examinations independently, level 2 includes ultrasound-guided
interventions, while level 3 involves the practice of high-level neck ultrasound
and use of advanced technologies. Our goal is to ensure high quality and
standardized head and neck ultrasound practice performed by different clinical
specialists with these recommendations.
Key words
head/neck - ultrasound - education - training - competency - thyroid - interventions
