Course lasts two to four hours

Students must first complete the web-based eLearning course, which includes essential information for instructor candidates in the level for which they apply.

American Heart Association Instructor training is divided by discipline, allowing candidates to focus on the specialized information they need to teach in their chosen discipline. Instructor training courses are available in:

1. Heartsaver (HS)
2. Basic Life Support Providers (BLS Provider)
3. Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
4. Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support for Experienced Providers (ACLS EP)
5. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
6. Pediatric Emergency Assessment Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS)

Before beginning the Instructor training process, candidates must have a current provider course
card for their chosen discipline and must align with an American Heart Association Training Center that is accepting new Instructors in their chosen discipline. American Heart Association Instructor training consists of three stages.

First, the instructor candidate takes the self-directed online Instructor Essentials Course in their chosen discipline. Each one cost $35

Heartsaver Instructor Essentials: requires one hour to do online $40.00

BLS Instructor Essentials: requires 1.5 hours to do online $40.00

ACLS Instructor Essentials: requires 1.5 hours to do online $40.00

PALS Instructor Essentials: requires 1.5 hours to do online $40.00

Then, the instructor candidate takes the faculty-led, classroom-based instructor course in their chosen discipline. Last, a faculty member monitors the Instructor candidate as they teach the first course.

Upon successfully completing all steps, candidates receive an Instructor card, valid for two years.