ACLS Pretest & Exam
There are four things to pass on the way to an ACLS Provider card: the precourse self-assessment before you arrive, the high-quality BLS and airway skills tests, the Megacode, and the written test. None of them is designed to catch you out. Each one checks something you will need in a real resuscitation, and all of them are very passable with the right preparation.
The four assessments
Precourse Self-Assessment (online, before the course) → BLS and airway skills tests → Megacode, where you lead a simulated arrest → written test. Your instructor explains exactly how each is run on the day, and remediation is available.
The AHA asks every ACLS student to complete an online Precourse Self-Assessment before the course. It covers rhythm recognition, pharmacology and practical application, and it gives you a result and a certificate to bring with you. Treat it as a diagnostic: the topics you score poorly on are exactly the ones to revise before class. HeartCode ACLS students cover this content as part of the online course.
ACLS opens with a high-quality adult BLS test — compressions, AED and bag-mask ventilation — and an airway management test. They are short, and they are where experienced clinicians are most often surprised, usually by compression depth or recoil. A quick practice before the day pays off; the BLS course pages cover the standard.
The Megacode is a simulated cardiac arrest in which you act as team leader. The scenario usually moves through more than one rhythm and into post-arrest care, so it tests whether you can follow the ACLS algorithms in the right order under time pressure, and whether you run the team well: assigning roles, keeping compressions going, using closed-loop communication and thinking about reversible causes out loud.
Instructors are not looking for speed for its own sake. They are looking for correct, safe decisions in a sensible sequence. Saying what you are thinking — “this is VF, charging to shock, everyone clear” — helps the team and helps the instructor see your reasoning.
The written test is multiple choice and follows the case content of the course: rhythms, algorithms, drugs, post-arrest care, ACS and stroke recognition, and team dynamics. The questions are applied, not trivia; if you understand why each algorithm step exists you will recognise the right answer. Your instructor explains the pass requirement and the resources allowed.
AHA courses include remediation. If a skills test or the written test is not passed, your instructor will go through the gaps with you and you will be retested. Our schedules leave time for this; if more practice is needed, you can return to complete it.
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Yes. The AHA requires ACLS students to complete the precourse work and bring proof of completion. HeartCode ACLS students complete it within the online course.
A simulated cardiac arrest scenario in which you lead the resuscitation team through the ACLS algorithms, usually across more than one rhythm and into post-arrest care.
It is applied rather than tricky. If you understand the algorithms and the reasons behind each step, you will be well prepared.
Your instructor debriefs the scenario, you practise the weak points, and you are retested. Remediation is part of AHA courses.
Complete the precourse self-assessment first, then focus on the algorithms, rhythm recognition and the drugs used in each pathway. Keep your BLS skills sharp as well.
Safety First Medical Services is an American Heart Association training centre on Al Reem Island. HeartCode blended ACLS, classroom ACLS and on-site group sessions for hospitals and clinics, with a two-year AHA ACLS Provider eCard on completion.
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Last reviewed by the training team at Safety First Medical Services, an American Heart Association training centre at Addax Office Tower, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Call +971 55 761 9841 or email training@safetyfirstmed.ae.