One hundred fifteen physicians participating in advanced trauma life s
upport (ATLS) training courses had entry (pre-test) and exit (post-tes
t) level knowledge compared. There was significant improvement for the
overall group mean score from the pre-test to post-test (p = 0.0001).
Comparisons revealed significant differences for pre-test and post-te
st scores by practice specialty and level of training. Residents in tr
aining had significantly higher scores for both pre-test (p = 0.0177)
and post-test (p = 0.0024) than did the practicing physician group. No
significant differences were detected in the cognitive achievement be
tween the residents according to practice specialty.