General Surgeons and the Advanced Trauma Life Support Course

Abstract

The ATLS course represents a standard of initial trauma care education in which only one-third of surgeons report current participation. Many view ATLS as not relevant or useful, yet take trauma call. To ensure standard education and patient care, an ATLS course curriculum specifically geared to the general surgeon should be developed and made a mandatory component of residency training or a requirement for board certification and trauma call credentialing.