Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy

What Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy does

The POCUS Certification Academy is a global non-profit certification organization operating under Inteleos Inc., a 501(c)(6) entity headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. It issues standardized point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) certifications and certificates to healthcare professionals across physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, nurse anesthetists, physical therapists, and medical students. Its portfolio includes the introductory POCUS Fundamentals Certificate, more than 20 Clinical Certifications (assessing specific clinical areas such as cardiac, lung, DVT, and abdominal), bundled Specialty Certifications (e.g., Emergency Medicine, Primary Care, Musculoskeletal), and a 5-year Maintenance of Certification program.

The Academy's technology platform is centered on the myPOCUS portal, which delivers cloud-based, video-based clinical case assessments, peer evaluation workflows, and HIPAA-compliant video submissions for practical skill assessment. Digital credentials are issued and verifiable through Credly. The organization's content is shaped by POCUS25, a participatory longitudinal research study launched in 2019 that crowdsourced practice domain priorities from 360+ respondents across 51 countries, and is governed by an international volunteer PCA Council. Recent product additions include the 2024 HeartFocus Certification Program delivered via a dedicated app.

The business model is primarily fee-for-certification: Clinical Certifications at $150, Specialty Certifications at $350-$625, and $50 for 5-year maintenance, with global pricing tiers tied to World Bank country classifications and fee waivers for ARDMS/APCA-certified physicians. Distribution combines a self-serve online portal with a POCUS Education Provider (PEP) network of registered training organizations and group/corporate sales for volume purchases. The Academy has certified 150,000+ clinicians across 124 countries and supports an active community of POCUS Ambassadors, educators, and partners including major ultrasound manufacturers (GE Healthcare, Mindray, Clarius, SonoSite), humanitarian organizations (MSF, RAD AID), and regional ultrasound societies (WFUMB, ASUM, FLAUS).

Name

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy

Legal name

Inteleos Inc.

Website

https://pocus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The POCUS Certification Academy is a global non-profit certification organization under Inteleos Inc. that issues standardized point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) certifications and certificates to physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, anesthetists, and other healthcare professionals across 124 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Certification Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Certifications (EDAAANAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Credentialing, Certification Prep & Exam Training (BPACANAJ)

Keywords

• Point-of-care ultrasound certification
• Medical certification services
• Ultrasound competency assessment
• Healthcare professional certification
• Clinical ultrasound credentials

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. POCUS Clinical Certifications: Fees for clinical certifications assessing knowledge in individual clinical areas like cardiac, lung, DVT, abdominal, etc. Candidates complete online assessments and peer evaluations.
2. POCUS Specialty Certifications: Higher-tier certifications bundling multiple clinical areas for specialty recognition (e.g., Emergency Medicine, Primary Care, Musculoskeletal). Includes case assessments, peer evaluations, and video submissions.
3. POCUS Fundamentals Certificate: Entry-level certificate covering ultrasound physics and instrumentation basics. Online modules and 35-question examination. Fee waived for ARDMS and APCA certified physicians.
4. Maintenance of Certification: Recertification fees for maintaining active certification status every 5 years, including knowledge checks and professional development point verification.
5. Group/Corporate Training: Customized private training sessions for healthcare teams through network of education providers, with volume-based group pricing available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certification Academy delivers globally recognized point-of-care ultrasound certifications and competency assessments for healthcare professionals. Offerings include an entry-level Fundamentals Certificate, more than 20 Clinical Certifications across individual domains (cardiac, lung, DVT, abdominal, MSK, etc.), and bundled Specialty Certifications that combine case-based assessments, peer evaluations, and video submissions. Certifications are maintained through 5-year renewal cycles with knowledge checks and professional development verification.

Product overview

The POCUS Certification Academy offers a comprehensive portfolio of certification products and educational services for point-of-care ultrasound practitioners. The core offerings include the POCUS Fundamentals Certificate (introductory prerequisite), specialized Lung and HeartFocus Certification Programs, and over 20 Clinical and Specialty Certifications for various clinical areas. The ecosystem includes the myPOCUS Portal for registration and credential management, the Learning Library and Knowledge Checks for ongoing education, the Education Provider Program connecting learners with trainers, and the POCUS25 research initiative defining practice standards. The Academy, part of the Inteleos nonprofit family alongside ARDMS and APCA, has certified 150,000+ clinicians across 124 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• POCUS Fundamentals Certificate Entry-level certificate covering ultrasound physics and instrumentation basics. Includes online modules and a 35-question examination. Fee waived for ARDMS and APCA certified physicians. Does not expire.
• POCUS Clinical Certifications Individual certifications assessing knowledge in specific clinical areas (cardiac, lung, DVT, abdominal, etc.) through clinical case-based assessments and peer evaluations. Priced at $150 per certification, with 90 days to complete. Valid for 5 years.
• POCUS Specialty Certifications Comprehensive certifications bundling multiple clinical areas for specialty recognition (e.g., Emergency Medicine, Primary Care, Musculoskeletal). Includes clinical case-based assessments, peer evaluations, and video submissions. Priced from $350-$625, with 180 days to complete. Valid for 5 years.
• POCUS HeartFocus Certification Program Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound certification program delivered in partnership with the HeartFocus app, enabling clinicians to build competency and achieve certification through a dedicated application-based pathway.
• Lung POCUS Certification Program Specialized certification program for lung ultrasound examination, enabling clinicians to validate their knowledge of pulmonary point-of-care ultrasound applications.
• Lung POCUS Course Supplemental educational course for lung point-of-care ultrasound, available through registered POCUS Education Providers and as part of the supplemental online learning package.
• Maintenance of Certification 5-year recertification service maintaining active certification status through knowledge checks and professional development point verification. Priced at $50 per certification, with reduced fees for eligible countries.
• POCUS Education Provider (PEP) Program Program connecting medical professionals with quality POCUS education and training providers, offering pathways for educators to become registered providers and for learners to find training.
• Group/Corporate Training Customized private training sessions for healthcare teams delivered through the POCUS Education Provider network, with volume-based group pricing for organizations purchasing multiple certifications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 124 countries recognize and rely on POCUS Certifications for clinician credentialing.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• RAD AIDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational nonprofit organization providing radiology support to developing countries. POCUS collaboration focuses on bringing POCUS training and certification to underserved regions.
• MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational humanitarian medical organization. Partnership aims to expand POCUS training and certification access in conflict and crisis zones.
• GE HealthcaremajorTechnology or IntegrationMajor ultrasound equipment manufacturer. Collaborates on POCUS education and training initiatives, showcasing ultrasound technology at POCUS events.
• MindraymajorTechnology or IntegrationGlobal medical device company manufacturing ultrasound systems. Partnership supports POCUS education and certification programs.
• Clarius Mobile HealthmajorTechnology or IntegrationHandheld ultrasound manufacturer. Sponsors POCUS events and provides technology demonstrations at certification events.
• Fujifilm SonoSitemajorTechnology or IntegrationPoint-of-care ultrasound specialist. Featured exhibitor at POCUS Mixer events showcasing latest POCUS equipment.
• WFUMB (World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal ultrasound professional organization. Partnership for developing POCUS standards and guidelines across international communities.
• ASUM (Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional ultrasound professional society. Collaboration on POCUS certification standards and educational content.
• FLAUS (Federación Latinoamericana de Ultrasonido)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLatin American ultrasound federation. Regional partnership for expanding POCUS certification across Latin America.
• EMUGs (Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational emergency medicine ultrasound community. Collaboration on emergency POCUS certification content and best practices.
• Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical school hosting POCUS Fest events for student education. Partnership introduces medical students to POCUS certification pathways.
• West Virginia University School of MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical school that partnered on WVU POCUS Fest 2019. Collaboration includes simulation center partnership for hands-on training.
• Wake Forest University School of MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical school partner in the PEP network providing POCUS training and education to students.
• Inteleos Foundation - Imaging for Impact AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal incubator supporting 30 POCUS Ambassadors representing their countries. Accelerator drives locally-driven ultrasound pilot projects addressing healthcare barriers through certification pathways.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT): Large incumbent credentialing organization for radiologic technologists and sonographers. Operates an established assessment and digital credentialing infrastructure analogous to POCUS Certification Academy, with overlapping sonography credentials.
• AIUM (American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine): Broad ultrasound professional society that issues practice standards, training guidelines and accreditation programs overlapping with POCUS Certification Academy's content domains across multiple specialties.
• American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM): Large established physician certification board that increasingly incorporates POCUS into emergency medicine subspecialty standards. Offers overlapping competency verification for the same emergency medicine clinician base.

Emerging players

• Society of Ultrasound in Medical Education (SUSME): Focused on integrating ultrasound into medical school curricula. Engages the same medical student and resident segment that POCUS Certification Academy targets through fundamentals and clinical certifications.
• American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST): Specialty society offering critical care ultrasonography certificate programs. Competes in the lung and critical care POCUS certification space with strong specialty brand recognition.

Direct peers

• National Board of Echocardiography (NBE): Physician certification body for cardiovascular ultrasound. Closely comparable in offering specialty-level ultrasound competency assessments with peer evaluation and recertification cycles.
• ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography): Sibling credentialing organization under the same Inteleos parent. Both offer healthcare professional certifications with a similar assessment, digital credentialing, and continuing competency model, making the structure, pricing and product portfolio directly comparable.
• WINFOCUS (World Interactive Network Focused on Critical Ultrasound): International scientific society specifically focused on point-of-care ultrasound. Targets the same clinician community, develops POCUS practice standards, and delivers training events globally.
• APCA (Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement): Another Inteleos family credentialing body focused on physician certifications. Operates the same governance and assessment infrastructure that the POCUS Certification Academy sits within, and shares leadership and operational resources.

Regional players

• ASUM (Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine): Regional credentialing and standards body for ultrasound in Australia/New Zealand. Comparable in scope but geographic focus differs from POCUS Certification Academy's global model, and it is already an Academy partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/POCUSAcademy
• Facebookfacebook.com/POCUSCertAcademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pocus-certification-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy