Resuscitation training for medical students

This paper describes the systematic training of undergraduate medical stude nts in resuscitation skills, aimed at overcoming the well known deficiencie s in the resuscitation skills of junior doctors. This training can be integ rated with the medical curriculum, but takes a considerable commitment in t eaching time. To give each of our 240 medical students 36 h of resuscitatio n training, including an advanced life support (ALS) course for all student s, 2442 h of reacher's time is required each year. It is important that tea ching is continued on the wards as part of the training of pre-registration house officers. The amount of teaching lime required justifies the appoint ment of Medical School Resuscitation Officers, dedicated to teaching medica l students; dental students and pre-registration house officers. (C) 1998 E lsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.