Provider overview

The EMST provider course:

• runs over 2.5 days
• is conducted for 16 participants
• is taught by a multidisciplinary faculty of 10 trauma experts (volunteers)
• is highly interactive and includes skills stations and scenarios
• is assessed (successful completion required to achieve certification)

After completing the EMST Provider course, participants are able to:

• Demonstrate the concepts and principles of primary and secondary patient assessment;
• Establish management priorities in the initial management of a trauma patient;
• Initiate primary and secondary management of a simulated trauma patient in a timely manner;
• In a given trauma situation, demonstrate skills that are often required in the initial assessment and treatment of patients with multiple injuries.

The EMST Provider course covers the following:

• Initial assessment and management
• Airway and ventilatory management
• Shock 
• Thoracic trauma
• Head trauma
• Abdominal and pelvic trauma 
• Practical surgical skills
• Spine and spinal cord trauma
• Musculoskeletal trauma
• Thermal injuries
• Trauma in pregnancy and  intimate partner violence
• Paediatric trauma & geriatric trauma
• Transfer to definitive care
• Role of FAST.

Tailored from the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS®) course of the American College of Surgeons, EMST is recognised as equivalent to ATLS® internationally.

This course includes content that aligns to the following surgical competencies.

• Medical expertise
• Technical expertise
• Professionalism
• Judgement and decision making
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Communication

Course participants are provided with:

• course manual: Advanced Trauma Life Support, 10th Edition, American College of Surgeons, 2018
• online resources, including pre-course test
• access to ATLS trauma app
• catering
• a certificate upon successful completion.

For an outline of the 2.5 day course please view the Provider course (PDF 106.23KB) program.

There are three different EMST courses available:  

Provider course

The provider course caters for first-time applicants and runs over 2.5 days. The course program includes interactive discussions, practical skill stations and case scenarios. Assessment is continuous throughout each stage of the course and includes pre-course and post-course MCQ tests.

ADF provider course 

RACS conducts a number of EMST courses in co-operation with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) each year. This course runs similarly to a standard provider course, and is only available to ADF personnel.

ADF personnel interested in nominating for this course can do so by contacting:

HOCU Governance Flight - [email protected]

Refresher course

The refresher course has been developed primarily for those who have completed a Provider course within the last four to six years, refreshing and building on the knowledge and skills acquired in the previous course.

EMST is an assessed course. Participants are required to attend and engage in each session of the course. Participants are assessed on both a written multiple choice questionnaire and practical exam (initial assessment). Each component must be completed successfully in order to achieve EMST certification, which is valid for four years.