Crozer Health Offers Advanced Trauma Training and Education for its Clinicians and Community Health Care Providers

As part of Crozer Health’s comprehensive array of continuing education courses, the health system provides trauma education and training for health care providers throughout the region, in addition to offering this training for its own clinicians.

Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) courses – developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and overseen by Crozer Health’s Office of Academic Affairs in collaboration with Crozer Health’s Trauma Department – provide health care professionals with a safe and reliable method for immediate management of injured patients. Classes are provided in the Chief Robert Reeder Multi-Disciplinary Simulation and Education Center at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pa. (and online, to comply with COVID-19 protocols).

“When Drexel University closed its EMS Training Institute last year, which provided the community with trauma training and education, we saw a void and we knew we had to step up and fill the void,” said William C. Boyer, DHSc, MS, CHSE, Crozer Health’s Chief Academic Officer and Executive Director of its Simulation Center. “Being able to offer these courses here at Crozer Health is a win-win for the community and for our health system.”

As the leading trauma provider in the region, Crozer Health not only trains providers to treat trauma patients, it also trains those with teaching potential to become future ATLS course instructors. The instructor course is a one-day course that consists of a variety of teaching-how-to-teach components of ATLS. After completion of the course, candidates are required to complete associated teaching time at an actual ATLS Provider course (under the supervision of an ATLS Course Director).

The first ATLS instructor course, held this summer, was attended by Crozer Health general surgery and emergency medicine residents who will soon be part of the instructor cadre. Each student played a role of ATLS Instructor – learning how to conduct an ATLS testing and skills station – while another played a student role. Seasoned ATLS faculty were present to assess and provide feedback on their instruction skills and techniques. Participants were assessed in various skills needed to care for a trauma patient.

“I hope to become a trauma critical care surgeon and this course will help me acquire the necessary skills to ensure my success,” said Sirivan S. Seng, M.D., general surgery resident, “This is a great training course, very applicable and organized. Teaching is so rewarding and I’m glad to be able to give back to the medical profession.”

“The instructor course made me feel more than adequately prepared to teach other healthcare professionals,” said Zaheer Faizi, M.D., MSc., general surgery resident “I love teaching and I learned principles that I can apply daily.”
Crozer Health will offer the ATLS Provider, Renewal, and Instructor courses throughout the year. For more information on course offerings at Crozer Health’s Simulation Center, visit https://crozerkeystone.enrollware.com.

For more detailed information about all ATLS courses, visit https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/atls.