Medical Student Education in Advanced Cardiac Life Support

A standardized approach to advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) improves the morbidity and mortality from cardiac arrest. Physicians should receive formal training, certification, and periodic recertification in ACLS. This paper describes the system we have developed to provide all the medical graduates of our university with training and American Heart Association (AHA) certification in ACLS.MethodThe course takes place during the third year of medical school in four afternoons during the students' medical clerkship. The students are required to take this course and are freed from all other commitments during these afternoons. Several weeks before the course, the students are given a brief introductory lecture, registered, and strongly encouraged to read the AHA manual for providers of advanced cardiac life support.