Advanced medical practitioners (MD/DO, PA/NP, RN, paramedic or an AEMT with ALS experience) interested in rescue, mass casualty, and remote outdoor environments or urban areas in disaster. Others admitted on a case-by-case basis.

• Understand the challenges and limitations of working in a remote/resource challenged, patient care setting.
• Explain principles of preventive care for patients and team members when faced by environmental challenges.
• Perform an accurate patient assessment when access to advanced diagnostics are not available
• Via case studies and in practice during patient-oriented drills, demonstrate decision making ability for treatments and evacuations in remote resource/challenged patient care settings.
• Further develop improved critical thinking and diagnostic/analytical skills enabling optimum decision-making
• Demonstrate the skills, knowledge and abilities to provide basic and advanced emergency for a care for wide array of injuries and conditions in a remote setting
• Utilize useful medical and basic rescue equipment often available in a remote/resource challenged patient care setting.
• Clearly communicate diagnosis and treatment plan to victims, rescue workers and other expedition members
• Discuss how to manage the site environment to avoid additional injury to the victim while keeping the site safe for other expedition participants
• Decide which medications and equipment that might be useful and appropriate in a variety of remote/resource challenged patient care settings.

Wilderness Medical Associates now uses an education platform called Moodle for pre-course paperwork and study materials along with post-course evaluations and PDF certifications. The following steps will guide you through creating an account and enrolling into your course.

Pre-course Study Guides will be mailed to learners two weeks prior to the start of the course. Each participant is asked to take an online pretest and complete case study assignments prior to the beginning of the course.

You must create an account on wildmed.com and then enroll in the WMAI Moodle learning management system. Direction below. 

Step 1: Create Your Moodle Account. Click on the following link and create a new Moodle account: https://courses.wildmed.com/login/index.php You will need to confirm your new Moodle account via email.

Note: Please check your spam or junk mail folder if the confirmation email does not show up in your inbox. Sometimes those working for agencies with robust cyber security measurements results in the course confirmation emails being blocked. Please contact techsupport@wildmed.com if you do not receive an email and we will manually confirm your account.

Step 2: Enroll Into Your Course. While logged into your Moodle account, click on the following Enrollment link and then click the Enroll Me button: https://courses.wildmed.com/enrol/index.php?id=3805&enrollKey=31272

Note: In order for the Enrollment Key to auto-fill, you must be logged into Moodle before clicking on the link in Step 2. If the self-enrollment key does not auto-populate enter the 5 digit number at the end of the link in the self-enroll box located at the bottom of the page.

Step 3: Complete the Start Here and Course Paperwork Sections. Complete these sections as directed in your course. At a minimum you will need to complete 3 activities in the General Course Information section and fill out 3 forms in the Course Paperwork section to unlock additional pre-course work, if applicable.

After Your Course: Course Evaluation & WMA Certification Card. Once you have completed your course, you can 1) complete a course evaluation and 2) generate a PDF copy of your WMA certification. Both are located in the Course Evaluation and Electronic Certification section.

When:
November 16 -19, 2023. Class will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at approximately 6:00 p.m. and may occasionally run over by 15 – 20 minutes. These days will be long and intense and you must plan time for evening study. Try to get a good rest and get personal matters out of the way before the course.

Where: 
Meet at Alpenglow Adventure Sports, 753 Stillwater Ave, Bangor, ME

Meals:
Please bring an easy to eat lunch, snacks and drinks for each day. See below.

Lodging:
There are a number of lodging options within a mile or two of the classroom

WIFI: 
Available on-site

IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU ARE PREPARED WHEN YOU COME TO CLASS. 

Make sure you have had adequate sleep and it would be best not to work all night the night before class. Hangovers are another bad idea. Be prepared to be outside in all weather; let me stress, be prepared to be outside in all weather. 

We will be practicing our skill scenarios in real conditions that may mean outside in the pouring rain, the snow, the mud or other unpleasant conditions. Dress warmly in layers and bring a change of clothes for scenarios is a good idea. 

BRING OLD CLOTHES TO CLASS TO WEAR FOR SCENARIOS. At times you will be playing a patient. Some of the make up we use stains clothing and some scenarios will force you to lay in snow, slush and mud. Clothing may get cut up. 

If you have any physical limitations that keep you from performing this type of scenario let your instructor know in advance. 

MOST IMPORTANTLY, BE INVOLVED IN THE CLASS AND ASK QUESTIONS IF SOMETHING DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

Physicians, physician assistants, nurses, paramedics and other ALS certified professionals may receive up to 36 hours continuing education hours.

Physicians: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the Wilderness Medical Society and WMAI. The Wilderness Medical Society  is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians and designates this educational activity for a maximum of 36 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

WMS FAWM: This course has been approved for Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) credits through the Wilderness Medical Society. Actual credits awarded depend on personal credit needs and history.

Nurses: Most State Boards of Registered Nurses accept AMA Category 1 Credit as meeting continuing education requirements for license renewal.  Nurses should check with their state board regarding use of CME Credit.

Physician Assistants / NPs: The American Academy of Physician Assistants accepts Category 1 CME approval from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Paramedics / AEMTS: The course is registered for 36 hours of continuing education credit through CAPCE.

Day 1  (0830 – 1815+/-)

0.5 hrs              Intro – Logistics and Introduction to course –

1.25 hrs            General Principles in Wilderness Medicine – both pathology and wilderness/rescue

1.25 hrs            Patient Assessment System (PAS) Scene

                        Managing a Lost person / SAR Scene –  Formal ICS

                        Backcountry Group ICS

                        Hike, Help or Helo

                        Heli Ops / Safety

                        Hypothermia Wrap 

.5 hrs                Lunch

0.25 hrs            Patient Assessment System (PAS) Primary

0.25 hrs            BLS in the backcountry (PM), protocol review

1.5 hrs              Tools & Tech: Tourniquets, Airway Management, BVM Extension, IV Warming, RSI                                                         Review, Vacuum Splints

0.5 hrs              Patient Assessment System (PAS) Secondary Quick Review / SOAP

1.5 hrs              Group Scenario 1 – Scene Mgmt and BLS/ALS focus

                        Debrief Day Wrap-up

                        Homework Cases

1930 – 2100     Optional: All things Rope – Useful knots, hitches and bends.

Day 2 (0830 – 1815+/-)

1.5 hrs              Small Group PAS Drill Critical Systems Round 1, BLS to Critical Care, Practical and Disc.

2.0 hrs              Small Group PAS Drill Critical Systems Round 2, BLS to Critical Care, Practical and Disc.

                        TBI – Mild / Severe – altered mental status in the backcountry

.5 hrs                Lunch  

1.5 hrs              Spinal Assessment and Spinal Cord Protection

1.5 hrs              Litter / Trail lowers, Vacuum matt and improv spine splint / collars

2.0 hrs              Group Scenario 2

                        Debrief Day Wrap-up

Evening            Optional: The Evolution and State of Wilderness Medicine Roundtable at the Pub

1930 – to whenever we tire of talking – meet at local pub TBD                

Day 3 (0830 – 1815+/-)

0.75 hrs            Discussion – Integrating WMED into daily practice

1.5 hrs              Small Group PAS Drill Critical Systems Round 3, BLS to Critical Care, Practical and Disc.

0.5 hrs              Asthma / Anaphylaxis practical

0.75 hrs            Hypothermia

0.75 hrs            Cold injury / Frostbite

0.5 hrs              Lunch

0.5 hrs              Hyperthermia / Hyponatremia

1.0 hrs              Wound Assessment and Management 

0.5 hrs              Burn Care Assessment and Management

2.5 hrs              Small Group Scenarios / Discussion

                        Debrief Day Wrap-up

1930 – 2100      Optional Session on Traditional Navigation and/or Use of Cal Topo / Gaia / Avensa Mapping

Day 4 (0830 – 1815+/-)

1.0 hrs              Pharmacology – pain, antibiotics, others

0.75 hrs            Musculosketal assessment and Mgmt

1.5 hrs              Splinting / Dxl Reduction Stations

2.0 hrs              Backcountry Rodeos “Clinic medicine in the austere”

0.5 hrs              Lunch

0.75 hrs            Altitude

0.5 hrs              Avalanche

0.75 hrs            Toxins / Bites

2.0 hrs              Group Final Scenario