Advanced Trauma Life Support® (ATLS®)
Demand for ATLS® exceeds current availability. Please check back frequently for new courses or contact your local delivery centre (see below). We do not hold waiting lists for courses.
ATLS® is a global course, teaching a systematic process of trauma care for patients with life-threatening injuries.
Throughout this two-day interactive course, you will learn a range of comprehensive and adaptable trauma management skills relevant to all specialties.
The RCS is the only provider of ATLS® in the UK, teaching a safe and reliable method of immediate management of severely injured patients. The ATLS® programme has been adopted in over 80 countries around the world.
The format of this hybrid course includes a state-of-the-art and interactive e-learning tool which will enhance your learning experience and reduce the number of days attending the practical sessions from three to two. The pre-course e-learning is a mandatory requirement for this course.
The pre-course e-learning consists of an Overview chapter, ATLS® participant course manual, 13 modules and quizzes, pre and post module MCQs and it takes approximately 1-2 hrs to complete each module. Full completion of the pre-course learning is a mandatory requirement to attend the course. Participants who have not completed the e-learning in full by 7am the day before the course will not be allowed to participate in the course and will forfeit their course fee. Course participants are also required to read the ATLS® participant course manual in full to prepare for the assessments on the course.
Our priority is to provide training for doctors working for the NHS. Due to demand and limited availability we do not accept applications from doctors working overseas.
ATLS® is curriculum mandated training for many surgical specialties and therefore eligible for HEE study leave applications.
Due to high demand for places on courses, we recommend checking the website frequently for new courses and places that may become available. Regrettably we cannot offer a waiting list service, but we are doing everything we can to make more courses available.
To see a list of our current ATLS® course centres please click here (correct as of May 2020)
- 2 days
- 31.50 CPD Points
Suitability
This course is suitable for doctors at FY2 grade and above, equivalent staff grades and eligible advanced practitioners.
Learning Outcomes
After attending this course, you should be able to:
- Demonstrate the concepts and principles of the primary and secondary patient assessments
- Establish management priorities in a trauma situation
- Initiate primary and secondary management necessary for the emergency management of acute life threatening conditions in a timely manner
- In a given simulation, demonstrate the skills related to ABCD which are often required during initial assessment and treatment of patients with multiple injuries
Format
ATLS® is a highly interactive course, taught using a variety of practical techniques including simulated patient scenarios, unfolding scenarios stations, group discussions and tutorials.
Mandatory, pre-course e-learning
Before the course, you will be required to complete the pre-course e-learning consisting of an overview chapter, 13 modules and quizzes, pre and post module MCQs and it takes approximately 1-2 hrs to complete each module. Full completion of the e-learning is a mandatory requirement to attend the course. Participants who have not completed the e-learning in full by 7am the day before the course will not be allowed to participate in the course and will forfeit their course fee.
Course participants will receive access to the pre-course e-learning resources on the RCS VLE via a notification with log in details six weeks before the course at the latest.
It is also mandatory to read the ATLS® participant course manual prior to the face to face component of the course.
Assessment
You will be assessed throughout the course and you have to pass all assessed sessions to pass the course and be awarded ATLS® provider status.
There are interactive sessions and clinical scenario stations and your performance of practical skills and contribution to discussions which test participants’ core knowledge will be assessed throughout these sessions.
On the final day of the course you will take an MCQ test consisting of 40 questions with the pass mark of 30/40. If you are unsuccessful on the course you can take up to two resits within three months of the course. You will not be given your answer sheet or told which questions you answered incorrectly. Reading the ATLS® participant manual prior to the course is the best preparation for the MCQs - there are no lectures in the face to face component of the course; you must arrive with a high level of clinical knowledge.
Moulage assessment will also take place on the last day of the course. You will be given a simulated clinical scenario and you will be assessed on the initial assessment and management of a patient according to objective assessment criteria. If you are unsuccessful in your first attempt on the course you will be given the opportunity to repeat the moulage assessment on the course using a different scenario. If unsuccessful, at the course director’s discretion, you might be given a final resit on another course.
If you have not met the minimum standard to pass the course you will not be given the opportunity to re-sit failed sessions and you will have to successfully complete another provider course to gain ATLS® provider status.
Additional Information
Course content
The ATLS® course consists of the following sessions
- Interactive discussions
- Initial Assessment
- Revision of the Core Content
- Trauma at Extremes of Age
- Trauma Team
- Scenario stations
- Airway (basic and paediatric, advanced and surgical)
- Breathing
- Circulation
- Disability
- Adjuncts
- Restriction of the Cervical Spine Motion (ROCSM)
- Secondary Survey
- Moulage practice and testing
- MCQs
- Triage
- Interactive sessions and demonstrations
How to reverify your ATLS® qualification
ATLS® provider status lasts for four years. To reverify, you can take our one-day ATLS® reverification course at any point within six months of your qualification’s expiry date.
How to become an ATLS® Instructor
While participating in an ATLS® course, you may be nominated as having Instructor Potential (IP).
Faculty are looking for participants who demonstrate excellent core knowledge, a commitment to the ATLS® principles and the skills and attitude necessary for the role of an ATLS® instructor. You also need to be working at ST 4 level (or equivalent) or above.
If you have been nominated as an ATLS® IP, you will need to attend an ATLS® Instructor course. Please take a look at our list of ATLS® Instructor courses
Becoming an ATLS® instructor is a fulfilling way to further your professional development while sharing your trauma management knowledge with motivated course participants and colleagues. Alongside this, we are always keen to hear from people interested in becoming faculty for other RCS courses.
A globally renowned course
The Royal College of Surgeons is proud to be the exclusive provider of ATLS® in the UK. The course and methodology was developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in 1978 and is now taught in over 80 countries.
‘Please note that the deadline for late bookings is two weeks before the course. Within two weeks of the course date centres are not able to accept bookings due to extensive pre-course e-learning.’
Booking Options
Regional Centres
25
Feb
2021
-
26
Feb
2021
£650
Pricing notes:
Full price: £650
Course Fees:
Please note, for courses held at the College, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at our cancellation policy first.For regional and international course payments and terms & conditions, please contact the relevant centre.
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Location:
Stoke Mandeville HospitalMandeville Road
AYLESBURY
HP21 8AL
United Kingdom
joanne.jackson19@nhs.net
01296 316557
Instructions:
Mrs J Jackson, joanne.jackson19@nhs.net, 01296 316557 View in Google MapsPricing notes:
Full price: £650
Fully Booked
Contact details:
Please contact the coordinator:
Mrs J Jackson
joanne.jackson19@nhs.net
mailto:joanne.jackson19@nhs.net
Book online
01
Mar
2021
-
02
Mar
2021
£600
Pricing notes:
Full price: £600
Course Fees:
Please note, for courses held at the College, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at our cancellation policy first.For regional and international course payments and terms & conditions, please contact the relevant centre.
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Location:
Arrowe Park HospitalArrowe Park Road
WIRRAL
CH49 5PE
United Kingdom
anne.ellis4@nhs.net
0151 4827611
Instructions:
Mrs A Ellis, anne.ellis4@nhs.net, 0151 4827611 View in Google MapsPricing notes:
Full price: £600
Fully Booked
Contact details:
Please contact the coordinator:
Mrs A Ellis
anne.ellis4@nhs.net
mailto:anne.ellis4@nhs.net
Book online
06
Mar
2021
-
07
Mar
2021
£700
Pricing notes:
Full price: £700
Course Fees:
Please note, for courses held at the College, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at our cancellation policy first.For regional and international course payments and terms & conditions, please contact the relevant centre.
Manor Hospital
Location:
Manor HospitalMoat Road
WALSALL
WS2 9PS
United Kingdom
wendy.petty@walsallhospitals.nhs.uk
01922 656591
Instructions:
Mrs W Petty, wendy.petty@walsallhospitals.nhs.uk, 01922 656591 View in Google MapsPricing notes:
Full price: £700
Fully Booked
Contact details:
Please contact the coordinator:
Mrs W Petty
wendy.petty@walsallhospitals.nhs.uk
https://thewhea.co.uk/
Book online
Contact the education team
Need to talk to us about courses or other RCS education services? Please get in touch.
The RCS Education Centre in London can be contacted directly on education@rcseng.ac.uk
We will endeavour to reply to you as soon as possible. Usually this is within a couple of days. Please note we do not work weekends.
Phone us
Call 020 7869 6300 to talk with a member of our team.
We are available to answer calls during our working hours of 8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday and there is a voicemail outside this time.