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Refresher overview

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.

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Course delivery

The EMST refresher course is:

  • 1.5 days in duration
  • conducted for 16 participants
  • for those who completed EMST or ATLS prior (within six years)
  • taught by a multidisciplinary faculty of 10 instructors
  • highly interactive skills stations and scenarios
  • assessed (successful completion required to achieve certification)

The refresher course combines facilitated discussions with interactive case scenarios to create a uniquely interactive, learner-focussed experience.

If it has been longer than six years since you completed your provider course, you may be required to complete another provider course instead of a refresher.

Objectives

After completing the EMST Refresher course, a participant will be 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.

Content

The EMST Refresher 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.

Program

For an outline of the refresher course please view the Refresher course (PDF 90.05KB) program.

Course assessment and certification

The EMST Refresher course is assessed. 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.

Surgical competencies

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

  • medical expertise
  • professionalism
  • technical expertise
  • judgement and decision making
  • collaboration and teamwork
  • communication