From February 13 to 15, the Second Faculty of Medicine at Charles University hosted the inaugural Prague Spring School of Emergency Sonography (PSSES 2026). This fourth project of the Academy of Anatomical Sonography, which operates under the Department of Anatomy at the Second Faculty of Medicine, introduced participants to the development of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) skills and offered clinical case simulations that participants could encounter in the ER.
The first Prague Spring School of Emergency Sonography introduced participants to the development of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) skills and offered clinical case simulations that participants could encounter in the ER.
The Academy welcomed a diverse international community of 40 students from Italy, Germany, Romania, Austria, Slovakia, and Czechia. These fourth- and fifth-year medical students were guided by professionally trained student tutors from the Academy of Anatomical Sonography who covered hypovolemia, cardiac shock, and obstructive shock in relation to the eFAST and RUSH protocols. PSSES also welcomed distinguished guests – Prof Miroslav Durila, MD, PhD, Vojtěch Šimeček, MD, and Jaroslav Hylmar, MD – from the Department of Anaesthesiology and ICM at Motol and Homolka University Hospital. They delivered lectures on various clinical cases connected to the topics explored during the Spring School.
Members of the organising team also prepared an informal social programme, including a pub quiz and karaoke at the student bar le fakap at Charles University’s Hvězda dormitories. It provided a perfect opportunity for participants and tutors to spend leisure time together and strengthen their connections outside the academic setting
I really like the approach here because it is a completely different way of learning. We mostly study from books, and I think it is pretty cool because it is more interactive and practical,” commented Martina, a student from the School of Medicine at the University of Milan.
“I really like the approach here because it is a completely different way of learning. We mostly study from books, and I think it is pretty cool because it is more interactive and practical,” commented Martina, a student from the School of Medicine at the University of Milan. Justus from Hannover Medical School added: “The Spring School is very well organised and professional, but also fun and has a very relaxed atmosphere.” Joris from the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden remarked: “You have a theoretical lecture, then a practical seminar, and also clinical case simulations. This combination is quite nice.”
A special thank you goes to the seventeen-member student team from the Second Faculty of Medicine at Charles University, who spent half a year preparing the entire event. The students contributed not only to teaching, but also to organising the accompanying programme, catering, transport, and the graphic design of the Spring School. The main coordinator of the project was fifth-year student Kryštof Haratek, joined by Adam Ulbricht, Adéla Kraklová, Tomáš Bartoš, Erik Liu, Pavel Savin, Jan Bulderbergs, Katarína Planetová, Klaudia Morgošová, Valerie Sečkařová, Vojtěch Höfner, Petr Málek, Karel Brabec, Jan Pochtiol, Nikol Nováková, and Jakub Doktor.
PSSES was made possible not only thanks to the efforts of its student administrators and tutors, but also through the support of Prof David Kachlík, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Anatomy and academic guarantor of all Academy of Anatomical Sonography projects. We also extend our gratitude to our sponsors: artic Bakehouse, Ovocný Světozor, Canon, Aura Medical, and the Centre for Endoscopic, Surgical and Clinical Anatomy CESKA.
The text was written by Erik Liu, a second‑year medical student.
