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ATLS® Educator Faculty Guidelines

Criteria for selecting a qualified Educator include the individual’s education, background, and personal characteristics:

A.

Identification and Nomination

1. Minimum selection criteria
The selection criteria listed herein are used by the State/Provincial Committee on Trauma Chairperson in identifying nominees for the ATLS® Educator training process.

  1. Applicants should have a master’s degree and preferably a doctorate degree (PhD, EdD) with concentration or specialization in education, as well as experience in postsecondary teaching.

  2. Applicants must be able to communicate effectively with doctors.

  3. Applicants must be able to demonstrate the types of teaching skills addressed in the educational portion of this course, eg, lecture and group discussion skills, and ability to demonstrate both direct and indirect teaching styles. Experience in teaching workshops, seminars, or Continuing Medical Educational courses is desirable.

  4. Applicants should have experience in the medical field.

2. Audit an ATLS® Student Course

Applicants who satisfy the selection criteria should audit an ATLS® Student Course in its entirety within six (6) months of applying for Educator candidacy. The date and site of this Student Course should be included in the individual’s application.

Auditing a Student Course is necessary for applicants to acquire the basic knowledge imparted in the program and to achieve an understanding of the requirements to which doctors must adhere. Additionally, this audit process assists applicants in determining whether they wish to make the commitment to become an ATLS® Educators.

3. Letters of recommendation and curriculum vitae

  1. Applicants must submit to the ACS ATLS® Program Office; a current curriculum vitae, with a letter explaining how their background, training, and experience conform to the minimum selection criteria.

  2. A letter of recommendation and support from the applicant’s respective State/Provincial Committee on Trauma Chairperson must accompany the information previously referenced.

When the ACS ATLS® Program Office receives all the previously outlined material, it is copied to the National Educator faculty and the ATLS® Subcommittee Chairperson for their review and vote. The National Educator faculty returns their recommendation of approval or denial with relevant comments to the ATLS® Subcommittee Chairperson for action.  If necessary, a National Educator then directly interviews the applicant to embellish the qualification criteria.

Upon successful completion of this nomination phase, the applicant and the State/Provincial Committee on Trauma Chairperson are notified and an Instructor Course is identified, during which the applicant can observe and be trained by National Educator Faculty.
B. Educator Training Process

After successful nomination and during one ATLS® Instructor Course, the applicant is expected to:

  1. Observe a National Educator during the entire course, including the precourse and postcourse faculty sessions.
  2. Assist the National Educator during the microteaching sessions.
  3. Participate in discussion sessions with the National Educator before, during, and after the course.

Upon successful completion of this process, the applicant becomes an Educator Candidate. The National Educator submits an initial evaluation of the applicant’s to-date progress to the ACS ATLS7 Program Office. The Course Coordinator is responsible for recording the Educator Candidate’s and National Educator’s participation as Faculty on the postcourse reports submitted to the ACS ATLS7 Program Office.
C.

Monitoring the Educator Candidate

Upon successful completion of the nomination and training processes, the Educator Candidate is expected to:

  1. Serve independently as the Educator for another ATLS® Instructor Course in accordance with the minimum criteria and guidelines established for the course. This teaching experience must be accomplished within 1 year of the Candidate’s training.

    This includes participating in the precourse and postcourse faculty meetings, and demonstrating prescribed lecture, skills, and group discussion techniques. The Candidate may serve in this role twice.

  2. Be monitored and evaluated by National Educator Faculty, National Faculty, or Regional Faculty according to prescribed evaluation criteria. A written evaluation of the Candidate’s performance is provided to the ACS ATLS® Program Office and the Course Director. This evaluation includes a recommendation to elevate the Candidate to Educator status, monitor the Candidate during one more Instructor Course, or not elevate the Candidate. After successfully completing the first or second monitoring phase, the Candidate is considered an approved ATLS7 Educator and receives a letter to that effect from the ACS ATLS7 Program Office. A copy of this letter is forwarded to the Educator’s State/Provincial Committee on Trauma Chairperson. The Course Coordinator is responsible for recording the Educator Candidate’s, National Educator’s, and/or National or Regional Faculty member’s participation as faculty on postcourse reports submitted to the ACS ATLS® Program Office.

Upon successful completion of all nomination, training, and monitoring phases, Educator Candidates are elevated to full Educator status and their names are added to the list of approved ATLS® Educators in the ACS ATLS® Program Office.
D. Reverification

ATLS® Educators wishing to maintain an active status in the ATLS® Program are required to reverify their status every 4 years.

 

 ATLS

 

Online April 23, 2008

  

 

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by the American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL 60611-3211