DDU Course

A DDU certified doctor is a specialist medical practitioner who has overall responsibility for ensuring the most accurate and valid information possible is obtained from the ultrasound examination. The DDU holder is then responsible for using the acquired information to meaningfully contribute to clinical patient management. The DDU holder would usually have diagnostic ultrasound as a major focus of their practice and accept referrals from a range of other medical practitioners as well as self-referrals.

The DDU is comprised of three (3) modules; Module 1 (Foundations of Ultrasound Practice), Module 2 (Clinical Competence) and Module 3 (Advanced Ultrasound Practice).

DDU Course Brochure

The Diploma of Diagnostic Ultrasound (DDU) can be awarded in the following specialties:

• General Ultrasound (Radiology, Surgery, Nuclear Medicine and Paediatric Medicine)
• Cardiology
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G)
• Vascular Studies
• Critical Care (Intensive Care and Anaesthesia)
• Emergency Medicine

DDU Entry Requirements::

• Enrolment into the DDU is based on applications meeting the DDU requirements as stated in the DDU Regulations available below.

Module 1 Entry Requirements: Module 1 and Module 2 can be undertaken concurrently

• No pre-requisites

Module 2 Entry Requirements: Module 1 and Module 2 can be undertaken concurrently

• Approval by DDU Board of Examiners of Nominated Primary Clinical Supervisor following submission of a Nomination of Clinical Supervisor Form.

Module 3 Entry Requirements:

• Successful completion of the Module 1 Online Assessment
• The successful completion of all Module 2 Case Studies and Supervisor Assessments
• The submission of at least 75% of the DDU Logbook
• A minimum of 18 months experience in Diagnostic Ultrasound

Course Completion Requirements:

• The successful completion of all Module 1 Assessments
• The successful completion of all Module 2 Assessments
• The successful completion of all Module 3 Assessments
• The successful completion of two (2) years experience in Diagnostic Ultrasound
• The successful completion of a relevant Fellowship as specified in the DDU Regulations

DDU Syllabi

• General
• Vascular
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Emergency
• Cardiology
• Critical Care

The DDU is divided into three (3) modules; Module 1, Module 2 and Module 3. Modules 1 and 2 can be undertaken concurrently.

Module 1 (Foundations of Ultrasound Practice):
You will study Module 1 using a wide range of learning materials, working in your own time and at your own pace. On completion of Module 1 there is one (1) online assessment comprising of 120 multiple choice questions over two (2) hours on the following topics:

• Physical principles of ultrasound and instrumentation (70% of available marks)
• Principles of image/data collection and optimisation (15% of available marks)
• Professional, ethical and legal Issues (15% of available marks)

The Module 1 Online Assessment is offered biannually in May and November. Please refer to the DDU Academic Calender for assessment registration closing dates.

In order to sit the assessment online you must;

1. Have access to a reliable computer and high speed (i.e. broadband) internet connection.
2. Ensure that you are able to login and are familiar with myASUM.
3. Arrange an assessment supervisor – a registered professional (e.g. Doctor, Nurse, Lawyer etc) to supervise you undertaking this assessment.

You will receive detailed information on how the assessment is conducted and how to access the assessment once you have registered for the DDU Module 1.

1. Two (2) formative Case Studies (to be submitted at least 6 months post enrolment)
2. Two (2) formative Supervisor Assessments of Clinical Competence (to be submitted at least 6 months post enrolment)
3. Three (3) summative Case Studies (to be submitted at least 12 months post enrolment)
4. Three (3) summative Supervisor Assessments of Clinical Competence (to be submitted at least 12 months post enrolment)
5. A Logbook with specified numbers and types of scans to be completed
6. The completion of two (2) years Diagnostic Ultrasound experience

Module 3 (Advanced Ultrasound Practice):
You will be required to pass two (2) summative assessments:

1. A Written Assessment (Short-Answer Questions)
2. An Oral Assessment (Viva Voce)

Prior to being awarded the DDU, candidates must have completed 2 years clinical ultrasound experience experience. As a guide, you will be expected to be actively involved in clinical ultrasound practice for a minimum of 500 hours in total over two (2) years. Candidates are required to complete two(2) formative Case Studies and Supervisor Declarations (submitted at least 6 months post enrolment)and three(3) summative Case Studies (submitted at least 12 months post enrolment).

In addition candidates must complete a logbook of specified scans. The scans for each specialty are as follows:

General

Candidates for the DDU(General) would usually be specialists working in medical imaging, surgery, emergency medicine, nuclear medicine and paediatrics.

The following 780 scans must be completed and recorded in a logbook. The logbook is to be submitted to ASUM.

• 125 Abdominal scans
• 125 Genito-urinary tract
• 240 Pelvic:
  • 120 Gynaecology
  • 120 Early Pregnancy
• 240 Small Parts: (at least 30 of each of the following)
  • Breast
  • Thyroid
  • Testis
• 50 Musculo-skeletal

Cardiology

Candidates for the DDU(Cardiology) would usually be cardiology specialists who have a special interest and expertise in all aspects of contemporary echocardiography. It is expected that candidates would be working largely in the area of echocardiography and be able to develop in-depth knowledge and experience suitable for specialist level referral practice in echocardiography.

The following 840 scans must be completed and recorded in a logbook. The logbook is to be submitted to ASUM.

• 300 Adult Transthoracic Echocardiography (performed and reported)
• 300 additional Adult Transthoracic Echocardiography (reported)
• 100 Transoesophageal Adult Echocardiography (performed and repeated)
• 100 Stress Echocardiography (supervised and reported)
• 20 Intraoperative Echocardiography Basic Monitoring studies (performed)
• 20 Intraoperative Echocariography Advanced studies e.g. valves (performed)

O&G

Candidates for the DDU(Obstetrics and Gynaecology) would usually be specialists working in areas of women’s health and imaging where ultrasound imaging and techniques are used for screening and diagnosis in gynaecological and prenatal applications. In particular this may include obstetrician/gynaecologists who wish to specialise in obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound and maternal-fetal medicine sub-specialists, geneticists and radiologists.

The following 900 scans must be completed and recorded in a logbook. The logbook is to be submitted to ASUM.

• Obstetrics:
  • 100 First trimester (11-14 weeks)
  • 100 Second trimester
  • 200 Third trimester
• Early Pregnancy and Gynaecology:
  • 200 Early Pregnancy
  • 300 Gynaecology

Vascular

The following 600 scans must be completed and recorded in a logbook. The logbook is to be submitted to ASUM.

• 120 Abdominal Aorta
• 120 Arterial Lower Limb
• 120 Carotid
• 60 Renal Access
• 30 Renal/Mesenteric
• 30 Ultrasound Guided Procedures
• 60 Venous DVT
• 60 Venous Insufficiency

Critical Care

Candidates for the DDU(Critical Care) would usually be specialists working in emergency medicine, intensive care, operating rooms and/or be involved in undertaking emergency retrievals. Candidates for the DDU(Critical Care) would be expected to have a significant component of their practice involved in the use of ultrasound for the diagnosis, assessment and intervention of acute medical problems leading to timely determination of further clinical management. The DDU candidate is expected to achieve the recommended advanced level of critical care sonography as outlined in the International Expert Statement on Training Standards for Critical Care Ultrasonography: published in Intensive Care Medicine online 26 May 2011.

The following 725 scans must be completed and recorded in a logbook. The logbook is to be submitted to ASUM.

• Echocardiographs: (150 must be on haemodynamic evaluation)
  • 150 Transthoracic (reported) and 300 Transthoracic (performed and reported)
  • 25 Transoesophageal(performed)
  • 25 Transoesophageal(observed/assisted)
• Vascular:
  • 50 Central line insertion
  • 50 Evaluation of venous/arterial pathology (e.g. thrombus, dissection)
• 50 Lung scans
• 50 Abdominal rapid scans
• 25 Ultrasound guided procedures

Emergency

Candidates working in emergency medicine are encouraged to be examined in the DDU(Emergency Medicine) but may choose to be examined in either the DDU(General), DDU(Critical Care) or DDU (Cardiology) if more appropriate to their scope of practice.

The following 750 scans must be completed and recorded in a logbook. The logbook is to be submitted to ASUM.

• 400 Abdominal scans (at least 200 must be full abdomen)
• 100 Gynaecologogy and Early Pregnancy:
  • 50 Transvaginal scans
  • 50 Early Pregnancy scans
  • (NB A Transvaginal scan performed for early pregnancy indications can count towards both requirements, but there must be a total of 100 scans in this category)
• 25 Small Parts scans
• 50 Musculo-skeletal scans
• 25 Peripheral Vascular scans
• 50 Lung scans
• 50 Basic Echocardiographs
• 50 Guided Ultrasound procedures

All DDU candidates must nominate a suitable “Primary Clinical Supervisor” for the duration of their candidature. The Primary Clinical Supervisor must be a currently practising specialist holding one of the following:

• Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiology (RANZCR) or the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) or the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (Vascular)
• Diploma in Diagnostic Ultrasound (DDU) from ASUM
• Certification in Obstetrical and Gynaecological Ultrasound (COGU) from RANZCOG
• Certification in Maternal Fetal Medicine (CMFM) from RANZCOG

Note: In those areas where suitable Primary Clinical Supervisors with the above listed qualifications cannot be found (eg Emergency Medicine, Critical Care etc), the DDU Board of Examiners may, at its discretion, accept another person as clinical supervisor or a combination of supervisors with the appropriate expertise to provide supervision.

Primary Clinical Supervisors accepted by the DDU Board of Examiners for the role may engage other experienced and suitably credentialled practitioners (such as an Accredited Medical Sonographer) as “Associate Supervisors” to assist in appropriate teaching and competence assessment within their scope of practice (eg of scanning competence but not diagnosis and/or report writing). All practitioners involved in clinical supervision of a candidate who will be responsible for any assessment or verification of practice must be approved by the DDU Board of Examiners prior to their commencement of the clinical supervision for the purposes of the DDU requirements. See the Supervisor Hanbook and DDU Regulations for requirements of possible Associate Supervisors.

Candidates should ensure that all nominated Clinical Supervisors have been provided with a copy of this entire Module 2 Clinical Competence syllabus document.

The nominated Primary Clinical Supervisor must be actively involved in clinical ultrasound practice in the same specialty field as the candidate and must have suitable experience (minimum of 2 years post obtaining the ultrasound related qualification). The Primary Clinical Supervisor must be in a position to be able to comment authoritatively and objectively on the candidate’s clinical practice and competence. The Primary Clinical Supervisor is expected to be predominantly working within the candidate’s usual workplace and be available for direct access when required.

All nominated supervisors (primary and associate) must complete a Nomination of Clinical Supervisor Form verifying that they agree to undertake the supervision and have read and agreed to fulfill the Supervisor Responsibilities as outlined in the Supervisor Handbook.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure the Clinical Supervisor Form/s is/are submitted to ASUM at the beginning of their candidature. The DDU Board of Examiners will confirm with the candidate and nominated supervisor/s if the nomination/s is/are acceptable to the DDU Board of Examiners.

Any proposed changes to the arrangements for clinical supervision must be notified to the DDU Board of Examiners for approval as soon as possible.

• Recertification Form
• myASUM CPD Handbook for DDU Holders

• DDU Regulations
• DDU Guidelines for Application for Special Consideration
• Academic Calendar
• DDU Enrolment Application Form
• DDU Advanced Standing Form
• DDU Module 1 Registration Form
• DDU Module 2 Assessment Form
• DDU Deferral Form
• DDU Module 3 Registration Form
• Supervisor Handbook
• Nomination of Supervisor Form

• DDU FAQ
• DDU Fees and Refund Policy