Introduction: Sonography education in Australia faces increasing pressure from workforce shortages, limited clinical placements, and evolving national competency standards. The Master of Medical Ultrasound (MMU) program at Monash University undertook a whole-of-program redesign guided by a Programmatic Assessment and Artificial Intelligence Review (PAAIR) to better align learning, assessment, and clinical practice expectations.
Methods: Course learning outcomes and unit learning outcomes were mapped to ensure vertical and horizontal alignment at AQF Level 9 and with the ASA/ASAR Sonographer Competency Framework. Assessments were reviewed across the program to reduce volume, increase authenticity and improve academic integrity in the context of artificial intelligence (AI). Input from students, sessional educators and industry partners informed the redesign. Key changes included authentic assessment formats, competency-based hurdles, increased synchronous teaching and the introduction of a longitudinal ePortfolio.
Results: Over 50% of assessments were redesigned into clinically relevant formats, including online Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), scenario-based discussions and oral case presentations.
Reflective practice frameworks were embedded across clinical units and an integrated ePortfolio is being implemented to support progression tracking from novice to work-ready sonographer.
Conclusion: A programmatic, education-led redesign improved curriculum coherence, strengthened clinical relevance and enhanced student engagement while supporting ethical and effective use of AI in learning and assessment.
Take Home Message: Program-level assessment design, supported by AI literacy and strong industry collaboration, can modernise sonography education and better prepare graduates for complex clinical environments.

Introduction: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is growing rapidly and has been adopted by many health professions, particularly in critical care medicine. POCUS is a clinically focused scan performed by the physician at the bedside to answer key clinical questions for immediate patient management. It is particularly valuable for acutely deteriorating or undifferentiated patients in emergency, anaesthetics and intensive care. POCUS is distinct from comprehensive ultrasound performed by sonographers. There are obvious patient safety implications for the use of ultrasound by clinicians without adequate training and competency standards, which has led to controversies concerning POCUS. Integration of ultrasound training into specialist medical training is a current challenge worldwide. This presentation discusses recent PhD thesis research to develop the role of sonographer educators in POCUS training.
Methods: Three sequential studies were conducted in a mixed methods approach. The methods used for each study phase were 1. Delphi consensus process; 2. Interview with reflexive thematic analysis; 3. Educational intervention development and evaluation.
Results: The Delphi consensus study defined competencies required by sonographers teaching POCUS to other health professionals. The thematic analysis described the breadth of experiences of sonographers in interprofessional POCUS teaching roles. An educational intervention study successfully developed and evaluated a continuing education (CPD) resource to equip sonographers for POCUS teaching in critical care settings.
Conclusion: This research has advanced the role of sonographer educators in critical care medicine.
Take Home Message: Sonographers are experts in ultrasound and have much to offer in POCUS education roles.

Introduction: Access to diagnostic imaging remains a significant barrier for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) communities, particularly in rural and remote regions. The necessity for patients to travel away from their home communities for appointments often leads to delayed diagnosis, decreased engagement, and poorer health outcomes. Sonographers play a critical role in delivering accessible, culturally appropriate ultrasound services that support care closer to home.
Methods: This education overview is based on personal/professional experience providing ultrasound services in remote outreach settings to communities in central Australia – Ngaanyatjarra lands. Models of care designed in minimising patient travel were examined, alongside practical adaptations required for scanning in non-hospital environments. Clinical examples illustrate the role of ultrasound in early detection of many important pathologies (i.e., chronic kidney disease). Cultural safety principles have been integrated as a core clinical competency; rather than an adjunct.
Results: Regular community-based ultrasound services improved patient engagement, reduced missed appointments, and facilitated earlier identification of clinically significant pathology. Sonographers adapted scanning techniques, communication styles, and examination protocols to suit community settings and individual patient needs. Continuity of care, enhanced trust, improved scan efficiency, and supported high-quality, culturally respectful imaging, while enabling broader health concerns to be identified and addressed.
Conclusion:Delivering ultrasound services “On Country” supports equitable access to care and improves clinical outcomes. Sonographers are central to the success of these models through adaptable practice, cultural safety awareness, and clinical decision-making.
Take Home Message: Integrating culturally safe, community-based ultrasound services “On Country” can transform healthcare for A&TSI communities.

Introduction: Having grown up in outback NSW, I experienced first-hand the barriers to quality rural healthcare. Now, working within a unique medical centre dedicated to addressing these challenges, I have stepped beyond traditional radiology to establish a sonography service for remote patients—built from the ground up to go beyond imaging, strengthen communication of adverse outcomes, and introduce sonographer-guided injections. I will share my experience in rural health and establishing a practice, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities.
Method: The service was developed through investment in quality equipment, contracting reporting radiologists, and building trust with referring doctors. In the years that followed I researched the scope of practice for sonographers to perform injections, undertook training, and implemented policies compliant with state legislation. Patient communication emerged as a critical issue: in communities reliant on transient locum doctors, results can be overlooked. To address this, strict protocols were introduced to ensure adverse outcomes are communicated appropriately to patients, empowering them to advocate for their own care and access treatment without delay.
Results: Although upskilling pathways for sonographers to extend their scope of practice remain limited compared with GPs or RNs, injection services were successfully introduced. Overall, the feedback on the service has been overwhelmingly positive, resulting in faster diagnostic timelines, improved prognoses, and better overall patient experience.
Conclusion: This experience highlights the need for regulatory change to recognise and support sonographers in offering additional services in specific rural contexts. Continued advocacy and innovation remain essential to improving equity in care for rural patients.

Introduction: Sonographers play a critical role in diagnostic accuracy and patient care. Rising service demand, combined with high physical and cognitive workload, and remuneration misaligned with professional skill, continues to impact workforce sustainability and retention within public healthcare. In Victoria, these challenges are currently being addressed through enterprise bargaining processes seeking improved conditions. This non-clinical update aims to inform and empower sonographers with the evidence underpinning healthy workplaces and the role of collective advocacy in achieving change.
Method: A narrative review of the literature relating to work-related musculoskeletal injury, fatigue, workload intensity, and healthcare workforce retention was undertaken. These conclusions are considered within the context of the public sector, with reference to the current Victorian enterprise bargaining process as an example of how sonographer and union representation can inform negotiation of workplace standards.
Results: The literature demonstrates a strong association between excessive workload, insufficient recovery time, and increased risk of injury, burnout, diagnostic error, and poor workforce retention among healthcare professionals. Evidence from broader healthcare settings suggests that collective bargaining is more likely to implement enforceable workload parameters, structured career progression, and remuneration aligned with professional expertise.
Conclusion: Improving sonographic working conditions requires organisational accountability and informed collective action. Union participation in enterprise bargaining provides a structured mechanism for translating literature into enforceable workplace standards that protect sonographers and patients.
Take-home message: Advocating for fair recognition of sonographic expertise through collective action and union engagement is essential to protecting your time, your body, and the quality of care you provide.