The Tidewater Center for Life Support (TCLS) provides life support training through the Sentara Center for Simulation and Immersive Learning (SCSIL). To date, we have trained more than 719,000 people in lifesaving techniques.
About us
The Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University Authority, Tidewater Chapter of the American Heart Association and the Tidewater EMS Council founded the Tidewater Center for Life Support Training (originally the Tidewater Cardiac Life Support Training Center) in March of 1981. Its creation was a response to the need for a permanent facility for the training of healthcare professionals in emergency cardiac care.
With leadership from Robert D. Brickman, MD, and widespread support, TCLS became the first permanent center in Virginia to provide ongoing basic CPR and advanced cardiac life support education. In 1982, TCLS expanded its program to include emergency trauma care skills. Originally located in the former Tidewater Rehabilitation Institute (which later became EVMS Williams Hall), TCLS relocated to Smith-Rogers Hall in 2011.
Between 2015 and 2017 the programs offered by TCLS transferred to the EVMS Sentara Center for Simulation and Immersive Learning (SCSIL) and TCLS fully consolidated with SCSIL in Lester Hall effective May 2017.
From inception to consolidation with SCSIL the Tidewater EMS Council provided staffing to manage TCLS under an agreement with our institution.
During these years some 89,700 medical professionals and public received training during in-house and contracted courses offered by TCLS including CPR and first aid, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support.
An additional 630,000 individuals received training through a network of training sites affiliated with TCLS.
