2011 Semester in Wilderness Medicine

No other wilderness medicine training program provides the opportunities presented in the Semester. We strongly encourage you to confirm this by comparing our program with any other.

This is the Semester's unique paradigm:

• Learn anatomy and pathophysiology of diseases during didactic sessions taught by physicians, nurses and paramedics
• Reinforce this understanding at a cadaver lab
• Observe the presentations of these diseases and injuries in actual patients during extended clinical opportunities or scenarios
• Acquire skills to both prevent and manage the problems taught during the class.

The actual patient-care experiences alone are unparalleled. These include spending a full week running a free health clinic in Costa Rica, getting supervision and direction from our Medical Director, Dr. Greg Moore. Students will make house visits, set up a clinic in the community center, take medical histories and vitals on patients ranging in age from 7 months to 90 years. During this week, they will also participate in important community health projects. Last year, students installed rocket stoves in homes. These stoves greatly reduce carbon monoxide and particulate emissions from indoor cooking, and thereby reduce significant causes of the respiratory infections and diseases (such as asthma) that the students will observe while running the clinic.

In Montana, students continue this type of learning when they spend three days on the river in swiftwater rescue training. Not only will they understand the physiology of drowning, but by actually getting in the water and pulling people from the river they will have a unique appreciation of both the prevention and treatment of submersion injuries. In another example, students will take their knowledge of hypothermia and frostbite and apply it during three days of avalanche training in the Swan Mountains. During this time, students snowshoe and ski approximately ten miles into a backcountry yurt. Once there, they will learn about the basics of snow science and become proficient in avalanche beacon use. Through scenarios they will take this knowledge, find buried patients and care for them in extended winter scenarios.

The list of this type of training is extensive and fully outlined on our website. You can also visit the site to see more pictures of our 2010 program. The program is demanding and intense. If this type of experience appeals to you, please contact us for more information.