Whether you’re a medical professional that needs to get certified or recertified or are interested in becoming an AHA training instructor, going through an accredited training center is strongly recommended. With so many options in the Boston area and throughout the United States, it can be overwhelming to decide what center to go through. But like a lot of other things in life, not all AHA training sites are created equally.

If you’re in the process of looking for an AHA training site, here are some tips for selecting an AHA training provider!

What is an AHA Training Site?

An AHA training site operates under the authorization of an AHA Training Center and must meet a set of minimum requirements. These requirements are:

• Has a legal business name.

• Teaches AHA courses in accordance with the official AHA Guidelines.

• Maintains at least five AHA Instructors who train more than 250 people each year (combined).

• Owns and maintains all equipment needed for teaching AHA courses.

• Meets minimum technical requirements.

• A training site can be authorized to provide any disciplines, including: BLS, ACLS, and PALS.

What to Look for In an AHA Training Site

When researching what training site to go through, look for the following.

Entrepreneurial Training Centers

Unlike community training center organizations (fire departments, hospitals, etc.), an entrepreneurial training center is a for-profit organization that is authorized under the AHA to offer training courses. They’re main focus is to ensure their students are properly trained and certified, and provide knowledge, training, and materials in an educational environment.

Response Times

When you’re contacting the training site you’re interested in going through, keep an eye on response times! If they’re taking an excessive amount of time to return your calls and emails, it could be a red flag.

Issuing of Certifications

When you’re registering for a course, be sure to confirm how long after the successful completion of the course you can expect to wait for your certification. Training sites are required to provide certifications within a certain period of time and if you’re on a tighter schedule (especially if you’re getting rectified for work), knowing when you’ll be receiving your certification can help manage expectations.

Training Site Instructor Experience

While there are requirements for training site faculty under the AHA, it’s always an added benefit when your instructors have extensive experience in the medical field and working with patients.

All of our instructors at ACLS Academy are medical professionals that are still actively practicing at local hospitals throughout Boston and the surrounding area.

For more information about our AHA courses taught at three convenient locations, contact us today at 617-855-9947.