Resource-Variable Trauma Team Development Course

Rural trauma is the "neglected disease" of the 21st century. RTTDC has been developed to help rural hospitals with development of their trauma teams. The course improves the quality of care in rural communities by developing a timely, organized, and systemic response to the care of the trauma patient, and a team approach that addresses common problems in the initial assessment and stabilization of the injured.

The course is offered in two flexible formats to meet local needs: a half-day session (approximately 5 hours) or a full-day session (approximately 7.5 hours). Both formats are highly interactive and include case-based discussions, skills stations, and a team-based simulation that emphasizes coordinated patient care from arrival through transfer within the trauma system.

The course can be presented in any facility with a large enough room to hold 20–30 participants for the didactic portion of the course. Good lighting, good acoustics, and the ability to accommodate a large projection screen and equipment for a PowerPoint presentation are requirements. Additional space in this room, or additional rooms, is required to set up the team-performance teaching stations. These stations must be far enough apart to allow reasonable conversational speech levels between the instructors and participants without interference from the other stations.

RTTDC is ideally designed for critical access or non–ACS verified facilities—sites with limited surgical capability, low trauma volume, and a reliance on transferring patients to higher levels of care. In these settings, the focus isn’t on definitive care, but on early recognition, stabilization, and making timely transfer decisions.

That said, RTTDC isn’t limited to smaller hospitals. We’ve seen that even larger facilities—especially those close to a trauma center—may have low trauma exposure and less coordinated team response. These sites can benefit just as much.

Ultimately, RTTDC is a good fit for any facility where trauma care is infrequent, resources or staffing are variable, or team coordination could be improved. The goal is to strengthen how teams function in those early, critical moments of care.

RTTDC instructors are experienced clinicians involved in trauma care. Eligible instructors may include surgeons, emergency physicians, primary care providers, nurses, and prehospital professionals.

All instructors are required to complete the RTTDC online modules and must be approved by the Course Director. While not mandatory, prior experience teaching trauma-focused courses—such as ATLS, PHTLS, or TNCC—is strongly recommended to ensure effective course delivery.

Oversight of RTTDC courses is managed by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT) State/Province Chair or their designated representative, who is responsible for authorizing all courses.

In most cases, course delivery is coordinated through nearby Level I or II trauma centers—typically the centers that receive transfers from the requesting resource-variable hospital. These trauma centers play a key role in providing outreach education and supporting their referring facilities.

Overall program development, course content, and quality oversight are guided by the ACS COT Rural Trauma Committee.

Several resources are available to help you get started. These include your State/Provincial ACS COT Chair, the trauma coordinator or trauma medical director at your referral trauma center, and members of the ACS COT Rural Trauma Committee involved in course development.

If you need assistance identifying your State/Province Chair, please contact traumaeducation@facs.org.

Please contact the Trauma Education Program Office at traumaeducation@facs.org for more information. In addition to your state chair, the trauma medical director or trauma program manager at your nearest referral trauma center may already be involved in the courses and be a source of information.

Please visit traumaed.facs.org to purchase RTTDC course materials. Course materials are $50 per required LMS pass (one per learner) with optional printed manual, plus shipping charges (if printed manuals requested).

After registering the course in the CMS, the on-site facilitator will complete a survey. This helps ensure the course is tailored to local needs—highlighting key topics during the core sessions and selecting relevant material for the elective portion.

The facility will also receive guidance on space, equipment, and setup to ensure the course runs smoothly.

After the course, the course director and on-site facilitator will complete a short survey. Participants will also complete a post-course survey. This feedback is especially important—collecting these evaluations is essential, as they are combined with data from courses worldwide to guide ongoing improvements and updates to RTTDC.

For all other inquiries, please contact traumaeducation@facs.org.

The 5th Edition of RTTDC builds on the core principles of the course while incorporating updated trauma care practices and a stronger focus on team performance in resource-variable settings.
Key updates include:

• Alignment with current trauma standards – Content has been updated to reflect modern ATLS concepts, including the xABCDE approach with early hemorrhage control as a priority.
• Greater emphasis on team dynamics – Expanded focus on communication, role clarity, and coordinated team response during the initial resuscitation.
• Enhanced simulation and case-based learning – More realistic, scenario-driven team exercises that follow the patient from arrival through transfer.
• Focus on resource-variable environments – Updated strategies that reflect real-world challenges such as limited staffing, equipment, and prolonged transfer times. 
• Improved transfer and systems thinking – Stronger emphasis on early decision-making, coordination with receiving centers, and integration within the trauma system.
• Updated clinical content – Incorporation of current best practices in hemorrhage control, resuscitation, and early trauma management.

Overall, the 5th Edition places even greater emphasis on practical, team-based care—helping providers deliver organized, efficient, and timely trauma care when and where it matters most.