PGCert MSK US

2024/25 entry

Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.

Fees for EU applicants: For entry to the 2024/25 academic year, eligible EU applicants will have the same tuition fees as UK students. These fees will be applied for the duration of the course.

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• Validated by the University College of Osteopathy, who will award the PGCert qualification
• Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education (CASE) Accreditation has been applied for.
• The course will produce confident, independent and conscientious ultrasound practitioners
• Excellent tutor to delegate ratio with plenty of time to practise under close supervision
• Opportunity to work with the experts in this field
• Typically 1 machine to 3 delegate ratio for practical sessions - a range of cart-based and portable/laptop ultrasound machines are used. These machines represent the variations available in clinical practice.
• Access to our online resources including key articles, learning resources, online presentations and quizzes
• Exclusive access to our online learning forum

Entry requirements:

The entry requirements for this course include:

• A Bachelor's Degree with Honours (or equivalent).
• A minimum of 3 years’ musculoskeletal experience.
• Registration with the appropriate professional body.
• Possession of appropriate indemnity insurance.
• Students whose first language is not English should be able to demonstrate fluency in spoken and written English equivalent to an IELTS overall score of 7.0.
• You are required to have a clinical placement as a prerequisite for acceptance onto this Postgraduate course. Students are expected to complete a minimum of 14 hours of supervised ultrasound scanning per week, in line with the Consortium for Accreditation of Sonographic Education (CASE), for the entire duration of the course,
• You must have an approved Clinical Supervisor as a prerequisite for this course to achieve 250 supervised scans (100 assisted, 150 unassisted).
• You must have an approved Independent Assessor as a prerequisite for this course to examine the Final Clinical Summative Assessment.
• You must have good MSK anatomical knowledge.
• You must be able to attend all course dates.
• Please note your clinical placement must be carried out in the UK or Republic of Ireland in order to gain CASE accreditation.

SMUG and The UCO are committed to a policy of inclusion. Students from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds, UCO-leavers, mature ‘second career’ applicants and students with a range of seen and unseen disabilities are all warmly welcomed. Every application to study on this course is considered on its own merits.

Application process:  Once you have submitted your application, one of our Course Leaders (Chris Myers or Robert Laus) will contact you to establish your suitability and verify that you meet all requirements. They will then contact your Clinical Supervisor and Independent Assessor to ensure their suitability along with that of the clinical placement. Once confirmed, you will be invited to join the PGCert MSK US. A deposit is required within seven days of being accepted on the course to secure your place, along with submitting the required registration documentation.

Overview
SMUG is the leading provider of musculoskeletal ultrasound in the UK and has over ten years’ experience of providing ultrasound education in both the UK and abroad. SMUG’s mission is to provide the highest quality education for clinicians to learn diagnostic ultrasound to ultimately improve clinical decision making and patient care.

To deliver this comprehensive Postgraduate Certificate, we have teamed up with The University College of Osteopathy (UCO) in London (previously the British School of Osteopathy or BSO), to provide a Postgraduate Certificate in Musculoskeletal Diagnostic Ultrasound.

Over the last decade there has been a considerable increase in the demand and use of ultrasound in the management of musculoskeletal complaints in both the public and private healthcare sectors. Technological advances, accessibility and improved diagnostic capabilities, as well as a growing body of literature in this area, have been key factors involved in this increasing demand and we expect this trend to continue in the coming years. Developing a highly skilled pool of clinicians with the appropriate training and necessary competency Is therefore essential to meet this demand.

Whether working within the NHS, private practice or elite sports, this learning pathway has been set up to provide a structured, in-depth and comprehensive training programme for those clinicians looking to add diagnostic ultrasound to their musculoskeletal practice. If you are an Allied Health Professional, doctor, radiologist or sonographer and want to expand your knowledge around musculoskeletal scanning, this Postgraduate certificate will provide an ideal environment for you to learn.

This course is delivered by full-time clinicians and lecturers who work in a variety of locations including the NHS, elite sports and the private sector in musculoskeletal clinics, radiology and sonography departments. You will also benefit from visiting lecturers who have extensive knowledge and expertise in a wide range of areas. This faculty includes Sports Medicine Consultants, physiotherapists and sonographers.