USSONAR
USSONAR is a North American nonprofit educational society providing standardized musculoskeletal ultrasonography training to rheumatologists, fellows, and allied health professionals through an 8-month fellowship program and self-paced membership curriculum.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersAlachua, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What USSONAR does
USSONAR (Ultrasound School of North American Rheumatologists) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational society founded in 2009, operating as a working group of the Northwest Arthritis and Osteoporosis Institute (NAOI) headquartered in Alachua, FL. The organization provides standardized training in musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSK-US) for rheumatologists, rheumatology fellows, and allied health professionals (NPs and PAs) across North America. USSONAR operates two core product lines: (1) the Fundamentals in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program, an 8-month cohort-based fellowship with capped enrollment (60 fellows, 30 non-fellows) combining self-paced online modules, mandatory 50+ joint scan submissions reviewed by faculty mentors, a 3-day in-person hands-on workshop in Tampa, FL, and a written/practical assessment; and (2) USSONAR Membership, a self-paced annual or lifetime tier providing immediate access to the 10-module curriculum plus 3 additional modules on the Teachable platform via memberclicks.net, priced $25–$750 by practitioner tier.
USSONAR's underlying technology is conventional educational infrastructure: Canvas LMS powers the training program, Teachable hosts membership content, Craft CMS manages the website, and Stripe processes payments. There is no proprietary AI/ML stack; quality assurance and competency validation are human-faculty-mediated through expert scan review and in-person assessment. Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) training program registration and workshop fees ($550 registration plus $2,200 workshop for fellows; $5,900 inclusive for non-fellows), (2) annual and lifetime membership subscriptions tiered by practitioner type, and (3) a multi-tier pharmaceutical sponsorship program (six Platinum sponsors — Novartis, AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, Sobi, UCB; one Gold — Pfizer; one Silver — Eli Lilly) that funds the majority of program operations. The organization employs approximately 5 staff and draws on 75+ volunteer faculty, including founders of major US ultrasound societies, authors of the first U.S. rheumatology MSK-US textbook, and contributors to the RhMSUS certification standard. USSONAR is not venture-backed, has no traditional equity holders, and operates on fixed-term elected board governance with presidents serving 2–3 year rotations.
USSONAR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- USSONAR
- Legal name
- Ultrasound School of North American Rheumatologists
- Website
- https://ussonar.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- USSONAR is a North American nonprofit educational society providing standardized musculoskeletal ultrasonography training to rheumatologists, fellows, and allied health professionals through an 8-month fellowship program and self-paced membership curriculum.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
USSONAR industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Education and Training
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Home Health Aide (HHA) & Personal Care Aide (PCA) (EDAOAJAM)
Keywords
Where USSONAR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Alachua
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
USSONAR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions and Lifetime Fees: Annual membership fees ($25-$750 depending on tier) plus one-time lifetime membership ($750 for physicians) provide recurring revenue. Membership includes self-paced curriculum, community benefits, and access to member-only events.
- Training Program Registration Fees: Fellows pay $550 registration plus $2,200 for hands-on workshop. Non-fellows pay $5,900 registration (includes workshop). Competitive enrollment limits drive urgency. Free first-year membership is included upon program completion.
- Pharmaceutical Sponsor Funding: USSONAR is funded in part by pharmaceutical companies. Platinum sponsors (Novartis, AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, Sobi, UCB), Gold sponsor (Pfizer), and Silver sponsor (Eli Lilly) provide funding support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Physicians - Lifetime Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Physicians - Annual Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Advanced Practitioners - Annual Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Students, Residents, Fellows - Annual Membership |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Fellow Registration - Fundamentals Program |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Non-Fellow Registration - Fundamentals Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
USSONAR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
USSONAR provides standardized musculoskeletal ultrasound training and education for rheumatologists, rheumatology fellows, and allied health professionals. Its flagship is the 8-month Fundamentals in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program, combining self-paced online learning, expert-reviewed image submissions, a mandatory 3-day hands-on workshop, and virtual assessments. The membership offering grants immediate self-paced access to the same 10 modules plus 3 additional ones, along with community and event benefits.
Product overview
USSONAR offers a unified educational product portfolio centered on musculoskeletal ultrasonography training for rheumatologists and allied health professionals. The flagship is the 8-month Fundamentals in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program, which combines self-paced interactive online coursework (with scanning videos, lectures, quizzes, and assignments), a faculty-mentored image submission portal where participants receive personalized written and video feedback on their uploaded joint scans, a mandatory 3-day in-person hands-on workshop with live patient models, and a virtual knowledge/skills assessment (written and practical exams). Complementing the program is the USSONAR Membership, offering immediate self-paced access to the same 10 educational modules plus 3 additional ones, with community benefits and member-exclusive events. Both offerings share the same expert faculty and interactive curriculum covering topics from imaging fundamentals to regulatory matters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fundamentals in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program An 8-month comprehensive training program that teaches rheumatologists and health professionals to utilize musculoskeletal ultrasound for improved patient care. Combines self-paced online learning, an image submission portal with expert faculty feedback (minimum 50 joint scans required, including 5 guided injections), a mandatory 3-day in-person hands-on workshop in Tampa, FL, and virtual written and hands-on skills assessments. Competitive enrollment: 60 fellow spots and 30 non-fellow spots annually.
- USSONAR Membership Self-paced curriculum providing immediate access to 10 educational modules covering beginner and advanced musculoskeletal ultrasound topics, plus 3 additional modules beyond the Fundamentals program. Includes community benefits, member-exclusive events, a quarterly newsletter, and networking opportunities with musculoskeletal ultrasound practitioners. Available on desktop, tablet, smartphone, and offline.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 800 students graduated from the 8-month training program since 2008; over 900 members since 2014.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use USSONAR
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
USSONAR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
USSONAR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship.
- Northwest Arthritis and Osteoporosis Institute (NAOI)flagshipNAOI is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Seattle, WA. USSONAR operates as a working group of NAOI, providing the nonprofit organizational umbrella. USSONAR was initially established as a nonprofit entity under the NAOI umbrella in 2009.
- Northwest Arthritis and Osteoporosis Institute (NAOI)flagshipUSSONAR is a society and working group of NAOI. Governance and legal terms reference both entities as jointly responsible for the System.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
USSONAR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
USSONAR social profiles
Digital presenceUSSONAR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
USSONAR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
USSONAR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
USSONAR M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about USSONAR
What does USSONAR do?
USSONAR provides standardized musculoskeletal ultrasound training and education for rheumatologists, rheumatology fellows, and allied health professionals. Its flagship is the 8-month Fundamentals in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program, combining self-paced online learning, expert-reviewed image submissions, a mandatory 3-day hands-on workshop, and virtual assessments. The membership offering grants immediate self-paced access to the same 10 modules plus 3 additional ones, along with community and event benefits.
Is USSONAR a public or private company?
USSONAR is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was USSONAR founded?
USSONAR was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is USSONAR based?
USSONAR is headquartered in Alachua, United States, in the North America region.
How does USSONAR make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions and Lifetime Fees are the primary driver. The others are training Program Registration Fees and pharmaceutical Sponsor Funding.
Does USSONAR have an API?
No public API is recorded for USSONAR.
What industry is USSONAR in?
USSONAR's product category is Medical Education and Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAJAM, Home Health Aide (HHA) & Personal Care Aide (PCA). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.