Feasibility of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training and Remote Quality Assurance for Community Physicians in Conflict-Affected Syria

Background: POCUS can extend diagnostic capabilities where conventional imaging is unavailable, yet evidence on its implementation in active conflict zones remains scarce. We describe the feasibility of a POCUS training, device deployment, and remote quality assurance program for community physicians working in village clinics in Syria.

Methods: Nine physicians from five community clinics participated in a two-day in-person POCUS training course adapted to a conflict-affected, resource-constrained setting. The curriculum focused on cardiac, lung, FAST, and soft-tissue applications. At course completion, each clinic received a handheld Butterfly ultrasound device. Participants subsequently uploaded examinations to a cloud-based platform for remote expert review and feedback. Outcomes included immediate post-course satisfaction, perceived confidence, and early post-course POCUS use over follow-up.