Kirsteen Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Hey there, One of my classmates raised this point and it's something I'd not considered. It seems that, for many residencies, the ACLS course is the one that's recommended to be completed prior to starting residency. However, are there programs that stipulate ATLS instead? Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffp Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 I don't know if any programs require ATLS... but I suspect that if they did, they would require it IN ADDITION to ACLS and not instead. I think that ACLS is required by all residency programs (even my friends in path needed it), and it's usually included during med school. ACLS = Advanced Cardiac Life Support - basically it's learning to run a code. I had the opportunity to audit ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) as a clerk (because my surgery preceptor was teaching it). In ATLS, you learn all sorts of wonderful, practical things - ie. chest tubes, venous cut-downs, C-spine film interpretation, etc. You learn a basic approach to a trauma patient. When I took the course, there were a number of ER and FM residents taking it, as well as some practicing surgeons, FPs and ER docs. I know people in ER residency and surgical specialties who have taken ATLS, but I'm not sure if it's a requirement of their programs (and they have taken it after starting residency). The skillset covered is very different from ACLS, so I don't think it's an either/or sort of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted February 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Hey there, Ta for your input. The person in my class who was asking is heading towards Surgery, so she might indeed need to take ATLS in addition to ACLS, as you've suggested. In terms of the ACLS course, I think it's a great idea to complete it prior to clerkship, however, not all medical schools consider it mandatory. In addition, some residency programs offer reimbursement for the ACLS course fees, that is, if you take it within one year of starting residency. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffp Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 At U of A, we took ACLS right after completing our 4th year rotations (in that grey zone of reviewing for the LMCC and our comprehensive exams). My friend (a path resident at U of T) didn't want to waste precious LMCC study time with ACLS, so she opted to take it at the beginning of residency. She was doing a derm rotation at the time, and right after she had completed ACLS, her derm preceptor collapsed in the clinic and she got to defibrillate him At U of S, students take it before starting their 3rd year clerkship rotations. This seems a bit early to me... they have absolutely NO clinical experience, yet are learning how to run codes, which drugs to administer at which doses... it has absolutely no practical relevance to them. Ack! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CutieYellow Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 At Laval, the ACLS is mandatory (and paid for by the school!) at the end of the third yr (therefore after one yr of clerkship). We also have a basic ATLS that's mandatory at the beginning of fourth year. CY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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