Tidewater Center for Life Support Training

Offering courses sponsored by the American Heart Association, the American College of Surgeons and the American Safety and Health Institute The Tidewater Center for Life Support (TCLS) Training is a program of Eastern Virginia Medical School offering American Heart Association (AHA) basic and advanced life support classes, the American College of Surgeons Advanced Trauma Life Support class and American Safety and Health Institute bloodborne pathogens class.

TCLS Training is a permanent educational facility for training the medical community and general public.   Our convenient location is near downtown Norfolk on the EVMS campus. The Center features a fully equipped lecture room and numerous breakout skills rooms.  A full complement of manikins and emergency care equipment allows for ample “hands on” practice.  Small group sessions enhance the learning environment. Individual instruction is available as needed. Professional instructors, physician course directors, and full-time staff members ensure quality, effective educational programs.

The goal of TCLS Training is effective lifesaving management of victims experiencing cardiopulmonary arrest and life-threatening traumatic injuries by physicians, other health care team members and the lay public. This is accomplished by providing a regular schedule of emergency care educational programs and instructor-trainer programs.

Courses include:
•    cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
•    automated external defibrillation
•    bloodborne pathogens
•    first aid
•    Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
•    Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
•    Advanced Trauma Life Support® (ATLS)

Many programs can also be tailored to fit specific needs of employers. Please contact our Basic Life Support Coordinator, Gordon Degges, at (757) 446-5926 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information regarding on-site courses.

TCLS Training is an authorized Training Center for the American Heart Association. In this role, TCLS provides a home base for five training sites and some 600 AHA emergency cardiac care instructors throughout Hampton Roads.

TCLS annually trains more than 3000 students during in-house courses. Community-wide, instructors affiliated with TCLS train more than 16,000 students annually.

  The American Heart Association (AHA) strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in BLS, ACLS, and PALS and has developed instructional materials for this purpose.  Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the AHA. Any fees charged for such a course, except for a portion of fees needed for AHA course materials, do not represent income to the AHA.  A portion of ATLS fees are paid to the American College of Surgeons.

Contact Information . . .

Email the Registration Coordinator: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm except holidays

For more information, visit www.evms.edu/tcls . There you will find program information, on-line registration for all basic life support courses, and downloadable registration forms for ACLS, PALS and ATLS course.

The Tidewater Center for Life Support Training is managed by the Tidewater EMS Council through an agreement with the Eastern Virginia Medical School.