Wilderness Medicine Training
Mountain Guides is a Licensed Training Center of Wilderness Medical Associates International. All certifications are for a 3 year period.
For courses hosted by Acadia Mountain Guides register above. All other courses Register via link to host website below.
2024 Upcoming Course Schedule
| Date(s) | Course | Location | Price |
| 3/29 – 4/1/24 | Wilderness Advanced Life Support Course Information Hosted By Acadia Mountain Guides |
Bangor, ME | MD/DO $1,500.00 PA/NP $1,200.00 Resident $1,000.00 RN/Medic/AEMT $700.00 |
| 4/18 – 22/24 | Wilderness First Responder Register Here Hosted by Northern Tier, Boy Scouts of America |
Ely, MN | $750.00 $850.00 w/ Food & Lodging. |
| 4/27 – 28/24 | Wilderness First Aid Register Here Hosted by Mahoosuc Guide Service |
Newry, ME | $330.00 $410.00 w/ Food & Lodging. |
| 4/27 – 29/24 | Open Recertification Register Here Hosted by Mahoosuc Guide Service |
Newry, Me | |
| 5/4 – 5/24 | Wilderness First Aid Register Here Hosted by Maine Sport Outfitter |
Rockport, ME | $299.00 |
| 5/4 – 6/24 | Open Recertification Register Here Hosted by Maine Sport Outfitter |
Rockport, ME | $399.00 |
| 5/31 – 6/4/24 | Wilderness First Responder Register Here Hosted by Maine Sport Outfitter |
Camden Snowbowl, Camden, ME | $799 |
| 6/13-17/24 | Wilderness First Responder Course Information Hosted by Acadia Mountain Guides |
Mount Desert Island, ME | $675.00 |
| 6/15-17/24 | Open Recertification Course Information Hosted by Acadia Mountain Guides |
Mount Desert Island, ME | $300.00 |
| The following courses are instructed by Acadia Mountain Guides and certified through WMAI (Wilderness Medical Associates) but are closed to public enrollment. | |||
| Date(s) | Course | Organization/School | Price |
| 3/13 – 17/24 | Wilderness First Responder | University of Maine | Inquire for Private Rates |
| 3/31 – 4/1/24 | Wilderness First Aid | Bates College | Inquire for Private Rates |
| 4/5 – 9/24 | Wilderness First Responder | Calleva, Potomac, MD | Inquire for Private Rates |
| 4/6 – 7/24 | Wilderness First Aid | Colby College | Inquire for Private Rates |
| 5/11 – 15/24 | Wilderness First Responder | Loyola University, Baltimore, MD | Inquire for Private Rates |
| 5/22 – 23/24 | Wilderness First Aid | Colby College | Inquire for Private Rates |
| Contact us to schedule a private course for your organization or school. |
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Wilderness Medicine Course Information
Wilderness First Aid (WFA) – link to more info
This program is designed for the person who travels frequently in the backcountry with friends or in small groups and who is seeking a basic level of competency in first aid.. It is a short introduction to the broad concepts of rendering care in a remote setting. The course includes adult CPR and training in the use of epinephrine for allergic reactions. You can expect the course to be intensive and to cover the most important aspects of wilderness medicine such as leadership, patient assessment and basic care. The course will be very experiential with lots of opportunity to practice in real-life simulations. Certified through Wilderness Medical Associates International – the world leader in wilderness medical training. Students must be 16 years of age to participate in this course.
Length: 16 hours
Prerequisites: none, 16 and 17 year-old students may enroll with written parental consent.
Cert: 3 years
Host your own course?: Have a group of people that need training? Contact us about having Jon and his team of WMAI instructors come to your site.
Wilderness First Responder (WFR) link to more info
Length: 45 hour course
Host your own course?: Have a group of people that need training? Contact us about having Jon and his team of WMAI instructors come to your site.
Wilderness Emergency Medical Service Upgrade (WEMS Upgrade) link to more info
Training for medical personnel who would like to enhance their skills and experience for use in the rural, wilderness, and technical rescue setting. This 45 hour course is popular with all levels of medical professionals but primarily geared toward pre-hospital EMS providers. Like other WMA International training, it represents the best application of the available science balanced by considerable clinical experience and the reality of providing medical care in difficult and dangerous places.
It is an intensive course covering a wide spectrum of emergency care topics relative to wilderness medicine and caring for injuries and illnesses over prolonged periods of time. The course is a combination of discussions, practical stations and real-life simulations. This wilderness EMS upgrade introduces wilderness protocols that are approved by several federal and state EMS agencies. Topics include assessment and management of traumatic injuries such as fractures, burns and wounds; circulatory, nervous, and respiratory system problems; common injuries such as blisters, sprains and strains; medical problems such as anaphylaxis, toxins, altitude, hypothermia, hyperthermia, and infections; and use of improvised materials in remote situations. The course includes information on personal outdoor preparedness, accident management and prevention and introduces you to simple evacuation techniques. The course is concept based and offers a critical thinking approach vs protocol approach to emergency care practices. It is intended for people who may provide care in remote environments such as outdoor trip leaders, guides, search and rescue units, disaster response teams, rural ambulance squads, and backcountry rangers. Certification is through Wilderness Medical Associates International.
Length: 45 hour course
Prerequisites: Certification as an EMT, AEMT or Paramedic. Nurses, advanced practitioners and physicians also frequently take and benefit from WEMS Upgrade courses.
Cert: 3 years
CEH: Forty five (45) hours of continuing education credits available through CAPCE for EMS providers.
Host your own course?: Have a group of people that need training? Contact us about having Jon and his team of WMAI instructors come to your site.
Open Recertification (Wilderness First Responder Recertification, WEMT and WAFA) link to more info
The Open Recertification course is open to those most currently certified Wilderness First Responders and Wilderness Advanced First Aiders. WMA WEMS (WEMT) graduates with a current EMS license may also recertify the wilderness portion of their WEMS certification with this course (please let us know when registering if you are recertifying WEMS certification. Upon successful completion of the Open Recertification you will receive an appropriate Wilderness Medical Associates International certification. Completion of pre-course study packet is required for all participants.
Length: 24 hour course
Prereqs: Current WFR, WEMT (WEMS Upgrade) or WAFA certification.
Cert: 3 years
CEH: Varies depending on certification
Host your own course?: Have a group of people that need training? Contact us about having Jon and his team of WMAI instructors come to your site.