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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
2 days
31.50 CPD Points
Course Options - please note, you cannot book places through the RCS website

Suitability

This course is suitable for doctors at FY2 grade and above, equivalent staff grades and eligible advanced practitioners.

Core trainees Foundation trainees CT1 CT2 FY2 GP Other medical and healthcare SAS Trauma and orthopaedic surgery Surgical care team Surgical care practitioner

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.’

Course Options - please note, you cannot book places through the RCS website

Regional Centres

Sat
17
Apr
2021
-
Sun
18
Apr
2021
£750
Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Fully Booked

17 Apr 2021
-
18 Apr 2021

£750

Pricing notes:

Full price: £750

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.

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Location:

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Prittlewell Chase
WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA
SS0 0RY
United Kingdom
caroline.howard@southend.nhs.uk
01702385628

Instructions:

Dr C G Howard, caroline.howard@southend.nhs.uk, 01702385628
View in Google Maps
Fully Booked

Pricing notes:

Full price: £750

Fully Booked

Contact details:

Please contact the coordinator:
Dr C G Howard
caroline.howard@southend.nhs.uk
mailto:caroline.howard@southend.nhs.uk

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Tue
20
Apr
2021
-
Wed
21
Apr
2021
£580
Countess of Chester Hospital
Fully Booked

20 Apr 2021
-
21 Apr 2021

£580

Pricing notes:

Full price: £580

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.

Countess of Chester Hospital

Location:

Countess of Chester Hospital
Liverpool Road
CHESTER
CH2 1UL
United Kingdom
jonathan.cringle@nhs.net
01244366004

Instructions:

Mr J Cringle, jonathan.cringle@nhs.net, 01244366004
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Fully Booked

Pricing notes:

Full price: £580

Fully Booked

Contact details:

Please contact the coordinator:
Mr J Cringle
jonathan.cringle@nhs.net
mailto:jonathan.cringle@nhs.net

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Thu
22
Apr
2021
-
Fri
23
Apr
2021
£600
Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust
Fully Booked

22 Apr 2021
-
23 Apr 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.

Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust

Location:

University Hospital Lewisham
Lewisham High Street
LONDON
SE13 6LH
United Kingdom
lh.resuscitationservices@nhs.net
020 1926734

Instructions:

Mrs D Cummings, lh.resuscitationservices@nhs.net, 020 1926734
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Fully Booked

Pricing notes:

Full price: £600

Fully Booked

Contact details:

Please contact the coordinator:
Mrs D Cummings
lh.resuscitationservices@nhs.net
mailto:lh.resuscitationservices@nhs.net

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Continue to Booking

Contact the education team

Need to talk to us about courses or other RCS education services? Please get in touch.  

Email

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. 

Related

Education Awards
Thanks to generous contributions from our donors, we are able to offer a range of education awards every year. Winning an award gives you a sum of money to spend on attending an RCS course.
Information for ATLS Instructors
ATLS is a world-renowned multidisciplinary course, teaching a systematic process of trauma care for patients with life-threatening injuries.