About the Author

Dr Amaali Lokuge studied medicine at Adelaide University and came to Melbourne for internship at The Alfred. Here, she fell in love with trauma and started specialising in Emergency Medicine. During her training at the Alfred, she was taught her first FAST scan by Dr Jack Spencer and her first echo by Dr Adam Bystryzycki. Inspired by these two gurus in US, Amaali completed her CCPU EFAST and echo during a special skills US rotation at the Alfred. During this term, she spent 6 months with the echo techs learning how to do full TTE scans for the cardiology department. 

In 2014, she took the role of Emergency Physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH). Her non clinical portfolio being US, she undertook the DDU (emergency), supervised by RMH radiologist Professor Rob Gibson. Professor Gibson taught her the nuances of US reporting and the excellent sonographers led by Paula King, Jane Keating and Tanya McDonald taught her how to scan like a sonographer. She completed the DDU in 2018. 

Since then, she has developed ED US at RMH into a vibrant sub department consisting of herself as Clinical Lead for Emergency US and four other CCPU accredited doctors in the faculty. The ED US group does monthly lectures in emergency US for emergency registrars and consultants, conducts in house accreditation for various POCUS modules, provides supervision for CCPU and DDU and also runs ASUM CCPU accredited emergency US and Simulation courses (ERUSC) for external candidates. 

RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS

1. Lokuge A, Alexander J, Land B, McAllister A. Lung ultrasound in a respiratory pandemic. Emerg Med Australas. 2020 Oct;32(5):883-889.

2. Lokuge A. Should we ditch the supine chest X ray in early trauma assessment? Australas J Ultrasound Med. 2019 Jun 19;22(4):245-247.

3. Lokuge A. Bedside cardiac ultrasound training should be mandated in the emergency department. Australas J Ultrasound Med. 2017 Mar 3;20(2):72-76

4. Lokuge A, Mitra B, Bystrzycki A. Use of ultrasound for non-trauma patients in the emergency department. Emerg Med Australas. 2013 Jun;25(3):213-8.