Since new regulations were established in Germany in 2002, different local concepts for emergency medical care in undergraduate education were published, which incorporated BLS or ALS training in differing amounts [16-18]. However, no systematic and comparable nationwide survey exists to date. The present

enquiry gives for the first time a nationwide overview of key elements of undergraduate education in emergency medical care and helps to update knowledge about curricula in order to describe international comparisons. The interdisciplinary aspect of emergency medical care as a discipline is confirmed by the academic specialties involved, even though Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical in particular cases selleck substantial variation resulted from

the local impact of special disciplines. At each site, different Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical specialties are involved, along with a differing quantity – measured in semester periods per week – and quality with respect to the educational methods Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical that are used. Putting these observations together, we can state that there is a sound foundation upon which the interdisciplinary development potential can be built, particularly with regard to teaching methods and their corresponding objectives. Against this background it is certainly arguable if in future emergency medicine as an own specialty of post-graduate training might be necessary or useful in Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical order to harmonize curricular

structure and content. In fact these issues are viewed very critically by existing specialties involved in emergency medical care such as anaesthesiology or traumatology. In respect of course topics we found first of all that BLS and ALS is implemented at all faculties, but the time-frames are varying to a great extend (3 to 13 teaching units). In contrast to this diversity, as regards content the training of resuscitation in basic or advanced life support is very consistent: 94% follow the current ERC guidelines, and only two faculties are mostly AHA orientated. This is Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical remarkable insofar as only five locations have an adequate pool of certified ERC-ALS-instructors available. Certainly this is a consequence of the fact that the German Resuscitation Council was founded as recently as 2007, and a structure ADP ribosylation factor for resuscitation training and qualification of instructors that is comparable to the Resuscitation Council UK or ERC does not exist to date. Undoubtedly international concepts have to be valuated and if necessary adapted and consequently implemented on a nationwide basis. However, many universities are offering high quality courses or activities with respect to methodical and didactic competencies for their own faculty, but without a widespread acceptance through all disciplines.