If you’re a medical professional on your way to becoming fully qualifed, or maybe even preparing to take a residency, taking a first aid course might have slipped your radar.
However, first aid qualifications are essential in the healthcare field, even when you’re already specializing in some form of medicine. Getting the basics down and ensuring you’re certified makes you a surefire hire within the modern medical sector.
Field readiness is a top priority for many healthcare employers these days, and the more training you can do upfront, the more likely you are to land the role you’re after.
That’s why we’ve compiled a little list of the five best first aid course providers in 2025. You can take any of the courses below during your medical training, and they’ll leave you with a beneficial qualification that will help to propel your career forward.
1. Safety Training Seminars – The Best Lowest Priced American Heart Association BLS Certification Classes
Our first pick is Safety Training Seminars, who are the foremost AHA certified BLS provider for medical professionals on a budget.
Basic Life Saving Training is crucial for any and all medical roles, no matter where you work or if you’re even dealing with patients on a day to day basis. As far as first aid courses go, this is an essential to have under your belt.
Picking up a BLS course here allows you to learn both online and on-site; the latter makes use of a VAM to ensure the maximum availability for all students.
This means you don’t have to wait for an instructor to be ready, and you’re more likely to find a class time that suits you.
Plus, Safety Training Seminars makes it easy to pay for a BLS class through their low price guarantee. If you’re in or close to the Northern California area, you won’t find a better priced course at any other provider.
Pros:
- Wide range of add-ons, including ACLS training
- Certification card emailed within 3 hours of your course finishing
- Lowest price in the region
Cons:
- California based only
- Add-ons can be quite pricey
- No on-site instructor can be a concern for some
2. John Hopkins University via Coursera – A Great Psychological First Aid Option
Understanding psychological first aid means you can intervene in mental health crises. Mental health first aid is still rather new to the medical sector, but it’s a burgeoning field for medical students all over the world.
This makes the John Hopkins’ Psychological First Aid Course a good starting point for anyone looking to be involved in psychiatric care, therapy, or counselling.
This is a popular course that follows the RAPID model with 5 modules exploring different areas of psychological first aid. All of these modules also only take an hour to complete.
Pros:
- Offers a learn at your own pace environment
- Discussion forum where you can talk to other students
Cons:
- Only a beginner introduction course that doesn’t offer a full certification
3. Coggno – Perfect for a Basic Breakdown of First Aid Awareness in the Workplace
Coggno’s First Aid Awareness Course is a great fit for any beginner healthcare professional.
The course aims to introduce you to the basics of applying immediate care to those involved in accidents and emergencies within a workplace, including how to perform CPR and how to prevent bleeding.
Learners will also be taught about potential liabilities, as well as how to talk to emergency medical services to ensure first responders are given every insight required to apply appropriate medical care.
Overall, the course provides a good detailed breakdown of first aid use in employment outside of traditional healthcare services.
Pros:
- Comes with a proper first aid certification
- You can subscribe to Coggno Prime and gain access to both this course and their more advanced First Aid modules
Cons:
- Course is only 17 minutes long
- Requires a desktop, laptop, or tablet and cannot be played on mobile phones
4. National Safety Council – Best Occupational Training for On-the-job First Aid Applications
While the National Safety Council (NSC) provides training for both the workplace and the general public, its on-the-job focus is second to none in the industry.
That makes its various first aid courses perfect for those looking for up to date information on preventing life threatening occurrences in the modern workplace.
Their First Aid, CPR, and AED training is OSHA approved and is used in various workplaces across the US.
Pros:
- Great selection of specifically focused courses within the first aid niche
- Both online and on-site sessions are available
- Students can stop and resume the course whenever they need to
Cons:
- May require hands-on testing to pass
- On-site sessions can be difficult to schedule
5. National CPR Foundation – Great for Learning the Basics of CPR
The National CPR Foundation offers both basic first aid for learning CPR, as well as a more in depth BLS certificate.
The CPR & First Aid certification takes under half an hour to complete, which makes it a great basic rundown for those on a tight schedule. Many healthcare professionals tend to fall into this category!
Pros:
- Course is both OSHA approved and follows AHA guidelines
- Course can be accessed from all mobile devices
Cons:
- Can take 5 business days for the certification card to arrive
- Some previous students have found it difficult to get in touch with email support regarding certificate delivery issues and updating details
Choosing the Right First Aid Course for You
The 5 first aid course providers above enable a great range of first aid and emergency response learning, no matter if you’re needing these skills for your career or just your personal life.
But if you’re a medical professional, they’re essential qualifications to have on your resume – and in some cases, will be required to even apply for a job you want.
Keep the pros and cons in mind when you’re picking a course. You’ll want to make sure the nature of learning, accessibility, course content, and price point are all in a range that suits you.
link
