Importance of basic life support training for first and second year medical students--a personal statement

Abstract

Introduction: Current studies show that there is a significant lack of knowledge regarding the typical signs and risk factors associated with serious medical conditions among medical students and laypersons. Basic life support consists of a number of medical procedures provided to patients with life threatening conditions of the body that cause pain or dysfunction to the person.

Further developments: In spite of the fact that this programme is not included in the curricula, students might receive this information from various persons, even though these persons are not specialized in the domain of giving first aid. Learning medicine without placing patients at an increased risk of complications is of utmost importance in the medical profession. High-fidelity patient simulators can potentially achieve this, and, therefore they are increasingly used in the training of medical students. Recent studies regarding simulation training show that the simulation-based intervention offers a positively evaluated possibility to enhance students' skills in recognizing and handling emergencies improving the ability to manage medical emergencies.

Conclusion: Understanding BLS courses and more than that, practicing these techniques is by far the most challenging task confronting first aid. Taking everything into consideration, we believe that an adequate education in first aid and basic life support should be considered an essential aspect of the medical curriculum.