What Every Resident Should Know Before Taking ATLS
by Dr. Mark Lawson, MD — Trauma Resident & Educator
When residents first hear about the ATLS course, most expect it to be a technical skills test. What surprises many is how much of it is about thinking systematically, not about memorizing details.
The ABCDE approach is drilled for a reason — under pressure, your brain narrows, and this framework keeps you from missing life-threatening injuries.
Three points I share with interns before their first ATLS:
Airway is never just airway. It’s always airway with cervical spine protection. Forget the C-spine and you miss one of the highest-yield exam points.
FAST isn’t final. If your ultrasound is unclear and the patient is borderline, DPL remains a valid, lifesaving option. Few residents practice it, but it’s still testable.
ABCDE is a loop. Don’t “finish” it and move on. The course expects you to reassess after each intervention.
ATLS isn’t about passing an exam; it’s about building a trauma reflex. And like any reflex, repetition matters.
That’s why I point my juniors to structured practice banks and printable resources — they reinforce the sequence until it’s second nature.
👉 For a free set of ATLS practice posters and a 15-question quiz, you can check this prep resource: