Welcome to the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Program at Hennepin

The HCMC Emergency Medicine Residency Program was established in 1972. We began incorporating point-of-care emergency ultrasound in 1985 and authored some of the earliest publications on how emergency physicians can use this technology to enhance patient care (Plummer et al). More than 40 years later, our department boasts a robust emergency ultrasound program with full departmental and institutional support. We conduct nearly every type of ultrasound exam imaginable. In 2014, we expanded our capabilities by adding 30 ultrasound machines to our ED, equipped with a comprehensive array of transducers: linear, curvilinear, phased array with Doppler capabilities, and 2 with speckle tracking, as well as endocavitary and TEE transducers.

Our goal is to train fellows who aspire to pursue academic careers and become leaders in emergency medicine, continuing the legacy our department has built over the past 40 years.

Ultrasound Faculty

Our team includes seven faculty members who are experts in ultrasound:

• Andrea Dreyfuss, our ultrasound fellowship director, completed her fellowship at Highland Hospital in California and has been a trailblazer in expanding ultrasound education in Latin America and regional anesthesia.
• Andy Laudenbach, our Ultrasound Division Director, completed his fellowship at NY Methodist Hospital, specializing in advanced cardiac ultrasound, TEE, and regional anesthesia. Additional areas of interest include ultrasound administration and education.
• Rob Reardon has numerous ultrasound publications and serves as an editor for the third edition of the Ma & Mateer Emergency Ultrasound textbook (2014). He is passionate about innovation in particular with speckle tracking and regional anesthesia. He is also our Director of Clinical and Procedural Innovation
• Joe Novik works at the University of Minnesota, where he oversees medical student ultrasound education; and at Hennepin where he is the ultrasound fellowship associate-director. His primary interests are TEE and advanced cardiac ultrasound.
• Andie Rowland-Fisher, who completed both residency and ultrasound fellowship at HCMC, focuses on resident ultrasound education.
• Anst Gelin, also a graduate of our ultrasound fellowship program and has a diploma in mountain medicine (DiMM) from the wilderness medical society (WMS). He is dedicated to expanding ultrasound education in low resource settings and has started and directed the first emergency ultrasound fellowship program in Mirebalais, Haiti. He is also a faculty member for the DiMM Program through the WMS and loves being in the mountains.
• Danny Parsons-Moss works as both a hospitalist and emergency physician at Hennepin, contributing to both fields in our department. He is also the Internal Medicine POCUS committee co-chair. 
• Dave Plummer, one of the pioneering authors and educators in emergency ultrasound in the United States, recently retired but remains involved with our ultrasound division through local and regional conferences.

Culture of POCUS

Our Ultrasound Program has a long-standing history and substantial support, having acquired our first machine in 1985. Ultrasound is deeply integrated into our clinical practice, with all faculty members utilizing it for clinical decision-making and billing for their ultrasound services. We are equipped with 30 ultrasound machines, including 20 mounted units and 10 cart-based systems, all featuring full wireless connectivity. A full-time RDMS ultrasound technologist is available to assist with resident and medical student education.

The Ultrasound Fellowship at Hennepin offers an ideal setting for physicians aiming for an academic career. You will develop exceptional skills as a clinician, educator, and sonographer. With a faculty appointment, you will benefit from the guidance of 30 esteemed mentors and have the opportunity to engage in numerous academic projects.

Fellow Responsibilities

• Clinical attending shifts at Hennepin Hospital (65 hours/month, ~8 shifts/month)
• 1-2 ultrasound scanning shifts per week
• Minimum 1000 ultrasound exams
• Weekly ultrasound journal club and quality improvement video review
• 1 research project and conference presentation
• Assistance with resident & student ultrasound rotations
• 4 residency conference lectures and small group teaching sessions
• Oversee 2 ultrasound journal clubs during our weekly didactics 
• Help with image QA and feedback

Fellow Education

• ED scanning shifts with core ultrasound faculty
• Weekly ultrasound didactics,  journal club and quality improvement meetings
• Attendance to local,regional, national and international ultrasound conferences

What makes Hennepin special?

Our core ultrasound faculty includes multiple experts with national and international recognition. We are leaders in ultrasound innovation, specializing in areas such as ultrasound-guided nerve blocks and catheter placement, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), pre-hospital ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, I and device development.

Our team also spearheads innovation in Emergency Medicine across various fields, contributing to exciting projects in:

• Airway management
• Hyperbaric Medicine
• Pediatric care
• Education and Simulation (SIM)
• ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation)
• EMS and pre-hospital care
• Cardiac arrest and resuscitation

We provide high-acuity care in an urban setting, serving both Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma cases, and a diverse county patient population.

Our fellowship offers international educational training opportunities; past fellows have traveled to Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and other locations for sustainable teaching and learning experiences.

Experience the vibrant Twin Cities lifestyle with its glorious summers featuring swimming and boating on numerous lakes, and a wealth of winter activities.

Fellowship Program Details

Fellowship Program Director: Andrea Dreyfuss, MD/MPH

Duration : 1 year

Eligibility: Must be ABEM Board Eligible or Board Certified to apply

Compensation: $90k salary + full benefits, $5000 BEA/CME, Butterfly probe/tablet, Laptop

Moonlighting: Opportunities available within Dept of EM

Application Deadline: November 1st

Websites

• HCMC ultrasound listing on eusfellowships.com
• https://hqmeded.com/category/ultrasound/
• www.ondasdelatinoamerica.org
• https://advanced-analgesia.com/
• Hennepin Ultrasound Blog

Recent US Fellows

2023-2024

Anthony Rauschenbach MD- Attending Physician at Common Spirit Health St Anthony Hospital in Denver, Colorado

Bar Ferents MD- Attending Physician at Niagara Health in St. Catherine’s, Ontario 

Hayley Musial MD- Attending Physician at Essentia Health in Duluth, Minnesota

2022-2023

Danny Parsons-Moss MD- Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Minnesota, Attending Physician at HCMC Emergency Medicine Department and Internal Medicine Department

Jennifer Robinson MD (Family Medicine)- Family Medicine Hospitalist at HCMC

2021-2022

Lacey Shiue MD- Associate Medical Director of Ultrasound Education, Emergency Ultrasound Mayo ClinicRochester, United States

Erica Blustein MD-  Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Co-Director of the Resident Emergency Ultrasound Program, Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes Jewish Hospital