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At PUM, we are passionate about much more than ultrasound equipment.
Providing high-quality, portable ultrasound technology is at the heart of what we do, but we also believe that having the right equipment is only part of the picture. To get the very best from ultrasound in clinical practice, veterinary professionals also need access to high-quality, practical and ongoing training throughout their careers.
That is why our founder, Catherine Stowell, a sonographer and echocardiographer, founded both PUM and the Animal Ultrasound Association (AUA). Her vision was to bring together excellence in ultrasound technology with excellence in education, helping veterinary professionals develop their skills, confidence and clinical capabilities.
Veterinary ultrasound is a constantly developing area of clinical practice. Whether you are taking your first steps with an ultrasound machine, wanting to improve your abdominal scanning technique, or working towards greater confidence with echocardiography, continuing to develop your skills can make a significant difference to the quality of the examinations you perform.
Over the years, Catherine has developed a range of high-calibre courses for the AUA, designed to meet the needs of vets in general daily clinical practice and specialisms alike. With this in mind, training covers a broad spectrum of applications, from Companion Animal Pregnancy Scanning through to Confidence With Small Animal Echocardiography. Courses also bring together experienced specialists and expert tutors, giving attendees the opportunity to benefit from practical knowledge and years of clinical experience.
Among the expert tutors who have contributed to AUA training are cardiologist Professor Luis Fuentes, clinical specialist obstetric sonographer Yvette Lovis, ultrasonographer Camilla Edwards and fellow echocardiographer Matthew Travis, helping to provide valuable insight into the practical application of ultrasound, echocardiography, clinical decision making and beyond.
We recognise that veterinary professionals have busy clinical lives, which is why AUA training is available in different formats. Some courses, such as Companion Animal Pregnancy Scanning, are pre-recorded and available online. This allows vets to learn at a time and pace that suits them, making it easier to fit professional development around clinical commitments.
Other courses are designed as immersive, in-person experiences where practical scanning and individual guidance are at the centre of the day. For example, Small Animal Abdominal Ultrasound, led by experienced ultrasonographer Camilla Edwards and her expert team, provides a hands-on opportunity to develop practical scanning skills with experienced guidance.
This combination of flexible online education and focused, practical day courses means there are opportunities to continue learning regardless of where you are in your ultrasound career.
For veterinary surgeons looking to build expertise in echocardiography, the upcoming Echocardiography Day Course offers a particularly practical approach.
Taking place in Bromley on Tuesday, 29th September 2026, from 10:00am to 4:00pm, the course is led by AUA founder Catherine Stowell and is specifically designed for vets who want to improve their confidence and consistency through supervised live scanning. Importantly, this is not a traditional lecture-based course.
One of the key features of the course is that learning is not based around a one-size-fits-all approach; every vet arrives with different experience, different levels of confidence and different areas they would like to improve. The course is therefore structured around individual learning goals.
Perhaps there are particular echocardiographic views that you find challenging. Perhaps you want to become more consistent when acquiring standard views. Or perhaps your goal is to develop a structured approach to performing a complete echocardiogram. Throughout the day, the practical training is tailored towards these objectives.
Participants will leave with a protocol they can follow in practice; this may be centred around the echocardiographic views they find most challenging, or a comprehensive protocol for performing a complete echocardiogram. Either way, the aim of the day is simple: to maximise practical scanning time and help vets develop skills that can be transferred directly into everyday clinical practice.
Echocardiography can feel daunting, particularly when you are trying to translate theoretical knowledge into consistently obtaining useful diagnostic images. Having someone experienced beside you while you scan provides an opportunity to identify and correct small issues in probe positioning, patient positioning, image optimisation and technique in real time. This practical feedback can be invaluable.
Rather than simply being shown what a good image looks like, attendees have the opportunity to understand how to obtain it, what to do when a view is difficult to acquire, and how to approach echocardiography in a structured and repeatable way.
For vets who already have some experience but want to take the next step, this can be particularly useful in building confidence and consistency.
The Echocardiography Day Course takes place on Tuesday, 29th September 2026, which is now less than one month away.
As a popular, small-group course with a deliberately low student-to-teacher ratio, places are limited. The 2:1 format is an important part of what makes the day so practical and personalised, but it also means that it’s important to secure your booking.
If improving your echocardiography skills is one of your professional development goals, we recommend registering your interest and booking your place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
At PUM, we believe the best ultrasound equipment is even more valuable when paired with the knowledge, practical skills and confidence to use it effectively.
Through PUM and the Animal Ultrasound Association, the aim is to support veterinary professionals with both the technology and training they need to continue developing throughout their careers. From your first pregnancy scan to more advanced abdominal work and echocardiography, there is always another skill to develop, another technique to refine and another opportunity to excel.
