Blog / Eligibility and screening questions

Which life support course do you need for NHS doctor jobs?

By the Health Job Scout team · 3 min read · Fact-checked 22 October 2026

Few topics cause as much confusion as life support courses. Doctors apply for jobs, see "ALS" in the essential criteria, and aren't sure whether the certificate they hold counts.

There's no national list that says which course suits which job. The person specification for the post is what matters. Here is how the main courses fit.

ALS (Advanced Life Support): the adult course

ALS stands for Advanced Life Support, and the course is run by the Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK). It runs as a two-day course, or as one day of e-learning at home followed by one day in person. The certificate is valid for four years. The Council says the European Resuscitation Council recognises it. Adverts for medicine and acute specialties often ask for ALS.

ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support): trauma

ATLS is run by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. It's open to doctors at FY2 grade and above, and equivalent staff grades. The certificate lasts four years. It matters most for surgery, emergency medicine and anaesthetics: the GMC requires trainees in some surgical specialties, anaesthetics and emergency medicine to complete a trauma management course, and ATLS is a prerequisite for many higher surgical posts.

APLS vs PALS: paediatric life support in the UK

Be careful here. In the UK the standard course is APLS (Advanced Paediatric Life Support), run by the Advanced Life Support Group. PALS is the American Heart Association's paediatric course. They're separate courses from different organisations. We couldn't find an official statement saying one is equivalent to the other, so don't assume it. If the advert says APLS, ask whether PALS is accepted before you rely on it.

If you're applying across several specialties

You don't have to hold every course before you apply. Work out which specialties you are really targeting, read the essential and desirable criteria for each, and take the course that the largest number of those posts ask for first.

What does "ALS or equivalent" mean in an NHS job advert?

Adverts often say "ALS or equivalent". Nobody can tell you in general what counts as equivalent, because it's the employer's decision. The advert lists a contact for informal enquiries, and that is the right person to ask. A short email works: say which certificate you hold, who issued it and when, and ask whether it meets the requirement.

Whatever you hold, write exactly that on the application. If you're asked about ALS and you hold a different course, don't tick yes unless the question says equivalents are accepted and the employer has confirmed yours counts. We cover this in our post on pre-screening questions.

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