Clinical Teaching Unit and point-of-care ultrasound enhance care, empowering learners and helping patients feel seen, supported and informed at the bedside.
Surrey Memorial Hospital’s Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) for Internal Medicine is training clinicians to use point-of-care ultrasound (POC U/S) to deliver timely answers to patients while helping them better understand their treatment and care.
The CTU brings together attending physicians, residents, medical students and health care professionals into a team where learning happens alongside healing so future doctors gain confidence and skills by working directly with patients, guided by experienced mentors.
As a key part of this approach, clinicians are using POC U/S, funded through the Surrey Hospitals Foundation, to view the body in real time, right at the bedside, helping them make decisions faster, support patients more effectively and build trust through shared understanding. POC U/S refers to portable ultrasound imaging that is used by clinicians for diagnostic, procedural and therapeutic purposes.
“POC U/S helps our teams have real conversations with patients,” says Palvinder Tiwana, clinical director for the program at Surrey Memorial Hospital. “They can see what we’re seeing, in real time. That shared experience brings clarity and comfort. For our learners, it’s a way to build clinical judgement and confidence while staying focused on what matters most—compassionate, patient-centered care.”
Dr. Birinder Mangat, UBC clinical assistant professor, assistant program director at the UBC Internal Medicine Fraser Residency and medical director of the CTU at Surrey Memorial Hospital, recalls a moment when POC U/S had a profound impact on a patient’s care.
“A patient came in with subtle shortness of breath,” Dr. Mangat says. “POC U/S revealed a dangerous fluid buildup around the heart. Because we had the skills and tools, we acted quickly, and the patient went home safely. Our residents were part of that moment. They saw what it means to use technology to make a real difference for a patient, right when it matters most.”
Some of the residents joining this team are part of larger efforts to recruit, train and retain more health care workers throughout Fraser Health.
“The care we provide at Surrey Memorial is built on trust, teamwork and a commitment to doing what’s best for every patient,” says Rich Dillon, executive director at Surrey Memorial Hospital. “The CTU and POC U/S help us build on that strong foundation, creating a system where patients feel safe, supported and empowered, and where our future doctors learn to deliver compassionate care while using diagnostic technologies.”
Interested in joining the team? Explore careers in medical imaging.
