Wilderness Medicine Club

A club for medical students who are interested in learning more about wilderness medicine, and for those who are active in outdoor settings! We offer hands-on training exercises in wilderness medical skills and info sessions on how to incorporate wilderness medicine into your future practice. We also aim to prepare students to embrace their leadership roles when participating in outdoor activities. The Wilderness Medicine Club, along with Dr. John Chmelicek, Dr. Alexei Khair and Dr. Kendra Young, have developed a 12-hour pre-clerkship elective focused on Wilderness Medicine Training. This elective consists of eight 2-hour sessions focusing on the following topics:

1. Intro to Wilderness Medicine

a. Simple evacuation techniques, lifts and carries

2. Primary survey and critical interventions

3. Wounds, wound closures, and splinting

4. Altitude medicine

5. Dive medicine

6. Management of hypo and hyperthermia

7. Survival skills

8. Group rescue simulation

a. Students will practice performing some of the wilderness medicine skills they learned throughout the year.

Content delivery will include lecture-style presentations, hands-on practice, and suggested resources for continued learning. Some sessions will take place in an outdoor setting (weather permitting) and others will be in the classroom. There will be 16 hours of instruction available, but only 12 hours are required to get credit for the elective. To encourage safe and responsible attitudes among our members while engaging in outdoor activities, the Wilderness Medicine Club will also arrange additional events that do not count toward the 12-hour elective requirement. Depending on the interest and availability of instructors, these may include opportunities such as:

● Wilderness First Aid Responder (20-hour) course

● Avalanche Skills Training course (AST-1 or AST-2)

● Glacier Travel/Rope Rescue course

● River Rescue course

Ultimately, we believe that organizing these courses together with the 12-hour elective will not only provide the students insight into the acute management of patients but will also gain an understanding of how to prevent backcountry emergencies.

**These additional sessions will not be taught by faculty members, and participation in these sessions run will not count as credit towards completion of the elective. Completing this elective should:

● Develop the knowledge and clinical skills required to treat common wilderness medicine emergencies and conditions, with prevention as a primary focus;

● Gain an understanding of the unique considerations when providing care in an austere environment;

● Develop sport-specific safety skills to be a leader and advocate for safety and prevention in the outdoor community;

● Improve awareness about the Wilderness Medicine Society and the Fellowship in Wilderness Medicine.

Important Dates

● September 26: Intro to Wilderness Medicine session

● September 30: Deadline to apply for the 12-hour elective

● October 13: Primary survey and critical interventions session

● November 14: Wounds and wound closure session

● December 5: Altitude medicine session

● March 31: Year 1 deadline for elective completion

● April 30: Year 2 deadline for elective completion

Dates TBA: