The Postgraduate Certificate in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (PgC MSK US) is most relevant to physiotherapists and sonographers; however, it is also entirely appropriate for sports therapists, osteopaths, medical doctors, and researchers. Successful completion of the PgC MSK US will enable you to obtain a formal ultrasound qualification to extend your scope of practice to include musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations safely and effectively.

Upon completion of the PgC MSK US, you will obtain 60 HE7 credits at level 7. Sonographers and other health professionals using musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging are required to demonstrate lifelong learning and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) throughout their careers.

This course aims to be both proactive and reactive in addressing the diverse education and training needs of this group, thereby filling a significant gap in the market.

Your course team will be in touch with you throughout the autumn period regarding Teaching Block One in January 2025 and Teaching.

• Teaching Block One is from Monday 20.01.25 to Friday 24.01.25 inclusive.
• Teaching Block Two is from Monday 28.04.25 to Friday 02.05.25 inclusive.

Prior to the start of the course, we would encourage you to review the course structure and module options via your course page before you arrive.

You may also wish to visit the websites below to obtain background information on musculoskeletal ultrasound:

• British Medical Journal
• British Medical Ultrasound Society
• European Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology
• Google Scholar
• Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership
• Medscape
• National Institute for Clinical Excellence
• Rheumatology
• Targeted Ultrasound Initiative
• The British Society for Rheumatology
• The Journal of Rheumatology

You may wish to undertake some pre-reading to enhance your preparedness to study. The recommended reading list for the course is as follows:

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS

• Allan, P., Dubbins, P., Pozniak, P.A. & McDicken, M.A. (2014) Clinical Doppler Ultrasound 3rd edn. Churchill Livingstone.
• Awad, F. & Yassin, M. (2017) Quality Control if Real-Time Medical Ultrasound Equipment Lambert Academic Publishing.
• Gibbs, V. Cole, & Sassano, A. (2009) Ultrasound Physics and Technology: How, Why and When. Churchill Livingstone.
• Fenster, A. & Lacefield, J.C. (2018) Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy (Imaging in Medical Diagnosis and Therapy) CRC Press.
• Hoskins, P., Martin, K. and Thrush, A. (2019) Diagnostic Ultrasound: Physics and Equipment Greenwich 3rd edn. Medical Media.
• Kremkau, F.W. (2015) Sonography: Principles and Instruments 9th edn. W.B. Saunders.
• Lencioni, R. (2017) Enhancing the Role of Ultrasound with Contrast Agents Italy: Springer.
• Oates, C. (2023) Ultrasound Technology for Clinical Practitioners. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.
• Postema, M. (2017) Fundamentals of Medical Ultrasonics CRC Press.
• Thrush, A. & Hartshorne, T. (2010) Vascular Ultrasound How, Why and When 3rd edn. Edinburgh: Elsevier.

MUSCULOSKELETAL ULTRASOUND

• Astourian, P. (2019) Ultrasound Guide Musculoskeletal Injections Kindle Edition.
• De Jong, M.R. (2017) Craig’s Essentials of Sonography and Patient Care 4th edn. Saunders.
• Gottwald, M. & Lansdown, G. (2014) Clinical Governance: Improving the Quality of Healthcare for Patients and Service Users Open University Press.
• Grant, E.G. & White, E.M. (2012) Duplex Sonography. 2nd edn. New York: Springer-Verlag.
• Griffith, J.F. (2018) Diagnostic Ultrasound: Musculoskeletal Elsevier.
• Herring, J. (2018) Medical Law and Ethics 7th edn. Open University Press.
• McNally, E. (2014) Practical Musculoskeletal Ultrasound. 2nd edn. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
• Resteghini, P. (2017) Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and Guided Injection: A Practical Guide Thieme
• Society & College of Radiographers and the British Medical Ultrasound Society (2017) Guidelines for Professional Ultrasound Practice [Online] Available: https://www.sor.org/sites/default/files/document-versions/bmus_scor_ultrasound_guidelines_1.pdf.
• Tamborrini, G. & Bruyn, G.A.W. (2018) Sonoanatomy Guidelines: High Resolution Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Books on Demand.
• Tamborrini, G. & Müller, A. (2018) Imaging of the Shoulder: Sonoanatomy and Sonopathology Atlas of the Shoulder Including Anatomy, Radiography and Arthroscopy Books on Demand.

JOURNALS

• American Journal of Sports Medicine.
• British Journal of Sports Medicine.
• Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine.
• Journal of Clinical Ultrasound.
• Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
• Journal of Digital Imaging.
• Journal of Interprofessional Care.
• Journal of Rheumatology.
• Physics in Medicine and Biology.
• Radiography.
• Ultrasound.