Advanced Trauma Life Support FAQs

All enrolled learners gain access to a PDF of the ATLS course manual. All enrolled course participants should contact their course Coordinator if they would also like to receive a hard copy. For those not participating in a course, the ATLS course manual is available on the ACS E-Store.

Any facility wishing to become an approved course site must submit a formal request to their State/Provincial Committee on Trauma (COT) chair and/or the American College of Surgeons for approval. New course sites must be formally approved prior to initiating courses. Contact traumaeducation@facs.org for an overview of site requirements and a copy of the on-site visit checklist.

The ATLS 11th Edition will now offer a choice for courses to be CME accredited or Non-CME accredited. Coordinators will be able to make this determination when registering their course in the Course Management System. The below outlines the differing credit amounts per ATLS 11 CME accredited course:

ATLS Traditional Course*

• 2-day (Minimum 16.00 CME, Maximum 43.00 CME; 10 Self-Assessment: Minimum 16.00, Maximum 43.00 Trauma Regulatory Mandates)
• 2.5-day  (Minimum 16.00 CME, Maximum 43.00 CME; 10 Self-Assessment; Minimum 16.00, Maximum 43.00 Trauma Regulatory Mandates)

ATLS Hybrid Course*

• 1.5-day (Minimum 16.00 CME, Maximum 39.00 CME; 10 Self-Assessment; Minimum 16.00, Maximum 39.00 Trauma Regulatory Mandates)

ATLS Refresher Course*

• .5-day (Minimum 5.00 CME, Maximum 32.00 CME; 10 Self-Assessment; Minimum 5.00, Maximum 32.00 Trauma Regulatory Mandates)
• 1-day (Minimum 5.00 CME, Maximum 32.00 CME; 10 Self-Assessment; Minimum 5.00, Maximum 32.00 Trauma Regulatory Mandates)

ATLS Instructor Course*

• 1-day (8.00 CME; 6.00 Self-Assessment)
• 1.5-day (12.00 CME. 6.00 Self-Assessment)
• 2-day (16.00 CME, 6.00 Self-Assessment)

*CME will only be granted upon successful completion of the course with a minimum post-test score of 75%. 

ATLS verification status is current for four years from the date of completion of an ATLS Traditional, Hybrid or Refresher course. Providers have a six-month grace period after their status expires to take a Refresher course., However they are not considered ATLS verified during that time. Check with your institution to determine if you are required to be current with your ATLS verification.

Check with your Coordinator. If your Coordinator is unable to find your records, please contact traumaeducation@facs.org. Please keep in mind that any records older than 10-15 years may not be accessible.

Contact the coordinator for your course or traumaeducation@facs.org.

If you are identified as having Instructor Potential (IP) in an ATLS Traditional, Hybrid, or Refresher course you may take an ATLS Instructor Course. Upon successful completion of the ATLS Instructor Course, you will participate as an Instructor Candidate (IC) in an ATLS Traditional or Hybrid Course.  An ATLS Course Director or their designee will observe and critique you as you teach a lecture, skills station, and initial assessment/patient assessment scenarios. Once you have successfully participated and obtained approval from the Course Director or their designee, you will then be elevated to an ATLS Instructor.

If you were not previously determined to have IP designation you may request permission to take the Instructor course from the State/Provincial Chair.

ATLS faculty are defined as Coordinators, Instructors, Course Directors, Associate Instructors, and Educators and are verified for four-year terms. They must participate in four courses during the reverification period to remain verified.

Use your login credentials to access the Course Management System (CMS) to view your verification status or contact the site Coordinator. To log in, please go to https://traumaed.facs.org/. If you are unable to login contact traumaeducation@facs.org. 

Use your login credentials to access the Course Management System to view your Instructor card. To log in, please go to https://traumaed.facs.org/. If you are unable to login contact traumaeducation@facs.org.

The American College of Surgeons does not offer CME credits for faculty members teaching the ATLS course.

Go to the course listing site found here. Contact the site for current opportunities.

Becoming an ATLS Educator is a multi-step process which includes the submittal of the ATLS Educator Application and other materials. Please contact traumaeducation@facs.org if you are interested in becoming an ATLS Educator.

The role of an ATLS Educator is to share effective teaching methods with a focus on adult education principles with prospective ATLS Instructors. The Educator works closely with the Course Director in the delivery of the ATLS Instructor course.

ATLS Educators are required to teach at least four ATLS Instructor courses in a four-year period to remain verified in ATLS.

APPs may become ATLS Associate Instructors who teach under the supervision of the ATLS Course Directors. Associate Instructors are allowed to teach a limited skillset based on the ATLS curriculum. 

APP Policies and Regulations

Attestation Application

An APP must have one of the following credentials:

• Nurse Practitioner – NP
• Physician Assistant – PA
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist – CRNA
• Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant – CAA

Potential candidates must submit an Attestation Application completed by their Trauma Director. The Attestation must be submitted and approved prior to an APP taking an Instructor Course. Processing takes 30-45 business days.

Once the Attestation Application is processed and approved by our Review Committee the candidate will receive the Associate Instructor Potential (AIP) designation and can then register to take an Instructor course. After successful completion of the course, the candidate will have 1 year to teach their first course as an Associate Instructor Candidate before being elevated to Associate Instructor.

View Application

For more information contact TraumaEducation@facs.org.