Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Frequently Asked Questions

Our Musculoskeletal Ultrasound PgCert and Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Foot and Ankle PgCert are Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education (CASE) accredited for practice-based learning carried out in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The Ultrasound for Musculoskeletal Practice PgCert is not externally accredited.

Yes. We strongly recommend attending all taught contact days and examination dates. You'll find the specific dates listed on each course page.

This will depend on the programme:

• Musculoskeletal Ultrasound PgCert and Ultrasound for Musculoskeletal Practice PgCert: you’ll be taught how to scan all peripheral musculoskeletal regions and need to be able to carry out two randomly selected scans in your assessments.
• Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Foot and Ankle PgCert: you’ll be taught all musculoskeletal ultrasound scans of the foot and ankle, allowing you to specialise in that region.

For all programmes:

• You must complete 100 supervised scans, with your supervisor present in the room for each one. They’ll complete a report with you and give feedback.
• You must complete 150 mentored scans, with your mentor immediately available in the building, even if not in the room.
• Patients can only leave the clinical setting once your mentor is satisfied with the scan and report.

No. You'll need to arrange your own work‑based learning. If your work-based learning changes during your studies, we'll support you to help resolve the situation where possible.

Each module on our PgCert courses is worth 30 master’s-level credits. Once you've successfully completed both modules, you'll be awarded the full PgCert for your chosen programme.

Module 1: The Fundamentals of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound 

• Five full taught days on campus
• One examination day

Module 2: Integrating Musculoskeletal Ultrasound into Practice 

• Four full taught days on campus plus an examination day. 
• For the Ultrasound for Musculoskeletal Practice PgCert, this module is taught three days on-campus and one day online.

You’ll benefit from hands‑on scanning, low student‑to‑machine ratios, excellent online learning, and Brunel’s state‑of‑the‑art teaching facilities.

You can find full details of our entry requirements on each course page. 

Yes. For the Musculoskeletal Ultrasound PgCert and Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Foot and Ankle PgCert you must be registered with:

• the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or CORU or;
• the General Medical Council (GMC).

If you're studying the Ultrasound for Musculoskeletal Practice PgCert (outside the UK/ROI), you’ll need registration with the relevant allied health or medical governing body in your home country.

If you work in the UK or ROI:

• Learn to scan the upper and lower limb, choose the Musculoskeletal Ultrasound PgCert.
• Specialise in scanning the foot and ankle, choose the Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Foot and Ankle PgCert.

If you live and work outside the UK or ROI:

• Learn to scan the upper and lower limbs, choose the Ultrasound for Musculoskeletal Practice PgCert.

No. You don't need any prior ultrasound experience. The Fundamentals of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound module gives you the foundational skills needed for safe musculoskeletal scanning.

You don't need to buy an ultrasound machine. All practical teaching uses Brunel’s ultrasound systems. For clinical logbook, you'll need access to ultrasound equipment within your clinical workplace.