2026 UPDATE
ADVANCED TRAUMA CARE EDUCATION
The very first Advanced Trauma Training Life Support (ATLS) and Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) course was held in 2015 at St Philips, Bulawayo and graduated 17 physicians and 32 nurses.(see below)
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In the eleven years since then, in a remarkable multinational partnership, these two programs have grown and developed and now a wholly Zimbabwean team of instructors holds three fully subscribed courses in ATLS and ATCN every year.
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By the end of the February 2026 ATLS and ATCN courses held in February 2026, the Trauma Training program at St Philips has been responsible for the training and certification of 300 physicians and 150 nurses in Advanced Trauma Life Support. These physicians and nurses graduated with internationally recognized ATLS and ATCN certification.
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Also, in order to maintain a vigorous Zimbabwe Trauma Training Instructor core team. outstanding physician Instructor candidates are regularly sponsored to undergo ATLS Instructor training in South Africa.
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ATLS and ATCN training is at present considered to be the gold standard for trauma training in over 80 countries around the world.
In addition, this trauma training has been so impactful in advancing the the care and outcome of trauma patients that the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) has incorporated and insists on Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) as part of its training and professional development. ATLS training is now considered essential for trauma management training in surgical training programs under COSECSA's jurisdiction.
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Huge credit for the success of this program goes to the the exceptional Zimbabwean, South African and International trauma teaching faculty along with the support and hard work of administrators and clerical staff.
A truly multinational effort in trauma education that has dramatically impacted the care of trauma patients in Zimbabwe.
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2015 ADVANCED TRAUMA CARE EDUCATION
The Beginning
Trauma, often related to car accidents, is the second leading cause of death in Zimbabwe, accounting for thousands of deaths each year. In February 2015, a team of physicians and nurses from the United States and South Africa traveled to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe to teach courses in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN). These were the first ATCN courses to ever be taught in Africa and the first overseas ATLS courses to be sponsored by the American College of Surgeons.
These training courses were chosen to inaugurate the new St Philip's nursing school in Bulawayo. In total, 32 nurses obtained their ATCN certifications and 17 physicians obtained their ATLS certifications. Attendees traveled from all over Zimbabwe and are returning to their hospitals armed with state of the art knowledge in treating trauma patients.
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The initial ATCN course was completed by 16 nurses. Nine of those nurses were chosen to complete the ATCN Instructor course. Upon completion, Sister Su Samboko was appointed as the course director. She and six other new instructors taught a monitored two-day ATCN course of a second class of 16 additional nurses to achieve full international accreditation. In cooperation with the University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMCK), three further ATCN training courses have been held with lectures transmitted live from the Simulation Center at UTMCK to St Philips lecture theater in Bulawayo, and a total of 80 nurses have so far received internationally accredited ATCN Trauma Certification.
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Thanks to all of our ATLS and ATCN instructors, Nic Rudnik of Liquid Telecom, the Rotary Foundation and Rotary Club of Knoxville, the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Trauma Nurses.
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ATLS instructors:
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Dr Andrew Baker MB ChB, South Africa
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Dr Liesl Baker MB ChB, South Africa
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Dr Blaine Enderson MD, United States
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Dr George Oosthuizen MB ChB, South Africa
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Dr Lou Smith MD, United States
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Dr Ian Stead MB ChB, South Africa​
Society of Trauma Nurses:
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Mike Glenn, RN
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Richard Henn, RN
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Jan Howard, RN
ATCN instructors:
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Theresa Day, RN, United States
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Niki Rasnake, RN, United States
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Deb Tuggle, RN, United States
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