title: Factors contributing to physicians' success in the advanced trauma life support program in Israel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since its introduction in Israel, more than 4,000 physicians from various specialties and diverse medical backgrounds have participated in the Advanced Trauma Life Support course.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the factors that influence the success of physicians in the ATLS written tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted of 4,475 physicians participating in the Israeli ATLS training program between 1990 and 1996. Several variables in the records of these physicians were related to their success or failure in the final written examination of the course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, the region of medical schooling, and the medical specialty were found to significantly influence the successful completion of the ATLS course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians younger than 45 years of age or with a surgical specialty are more likely to graduate the ATLS course. The success rate could be improved if the program's text and questionnaires were translated into Hebrew.
authors.affiliation: Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ben-Abraham
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paret
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shemer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivkind
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kluger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008020:Life Support Care; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013038:Specialization; D014194:Traumatology / Q000193:education*