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A life-support skills course designed to facilitate competent decision making during emergency care situations has been developed for third-year medical students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. The objective of the one-week course is to combine the knowledge acquired in the basic sciences with the performance skills required in the clinical setting. This is achieved through the use of a variety of instructional strategies, including lectures, reading periods, and laboratory exercises. A scientific approach to the teaching of life-support skills is incorporated, educational objectives are defined, methods of achieving the educational objectives are provided, and an evaluation system is used to determine the effectiveness of teaching. After successful completion of the training program, the student is better able to deliver competent emergency medical care.