WILDERNESS MEDICINE
Wilderness Medicine differs significantly from standard Red Cross courses and other programs that are oriented toward the urban
environment. This course teaches what to do with a medical emergency when help is miles away and calling 911 isn’t an option.
We prepare students for emergency situations that involve prolonged patient care, severe environments and improvised equipment.
WHY CHOOSE WILDERNESS MEDICAL ASSOCIATES®?
Wilderness Medical Associates® has been setting the highest standard for medical training in wilderness and rescue medicine since
1981. We are the only company in this field with a practicing emergency room physician as President and Medical Director. Dr. David
Johnson’s nearly 30 years of emergency medical and backcountry experience provide a depth of expertise that translates into a
cutting edge curriculum.
Our team of exceptional instructors are medical professionals with significant patient care experience as well as substantial
backcountry resumes. All have been through a rigorous selection and training process. We demand the best, and we get them.
The curriculum is continuously updated and refined. We search the literature and draw from field experience to create the most
useful training possible for medical care in difficult and dangerous places. Our emphasis on the understanding of body systems and
medical principles gives students the skills and confidence to adapt and respond. Once an individual has taken one of our courses,
he or she will remember and understand what needs to be done.
Our courses are preferred by such organizations as Outward Bound, The National Park Service, and the FBI. As Canoe Magazine
stated, “Wilderness Medical Associates has become the de facto standard in wilderness medical training.”
CLASS FORMAT
This course is 181 hours over 25 days including six days off. On most days class will run from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mornings will begin with quizzes and case presentations from students who had hospital rotations on the previous day. The rest of the morning will be devoted to lectures. Afternoons are devoted to practical hands-on sessions and video taped simulations. Expect five or six emergency rescue simulations with made-up victims and stage blood that will be video taped for enhanced learning. Evenings are reserved for case studies, clinical rotations, and assignments.
PREREQUISITES
Students must be at least eighteen years old to participate in this course. They must provide documentation or record of immunizations against Measles, Mumps, Rubella (known as MMR), Hep B, Tetanus, and a TB Skin Test.
COURSE SPONSORS AND INSTRUCTORS
Wilderness Medical Associates® courses are offered by a variety of sponsors in the US and abroad. Sponsors may set rules regarding parking, dogs, the use of alcohol, and other site-specific issues. The course sponsor sets the tuition and provides the classroom and any housing or meals that may be included. All courses are taught by WMA™ instructors who have been through our rigorous selection and training process and adhere to our course standards and curriculum.
HOSPITAL ROTATIONS
Students will participate in at least ten hours of Emergency Room observation. Ambulance rotations may also be required. Proper dress consisting of dark slacks (no jeans), white shirt with collar, and hard-soled, closed toe shoes are required for these rotations.
TEXTBOOKS
All teaching materials are provided by Wilderness Medical Associates® at no additional cost. This includes handouts, a book of lecture handouts, our case study workbook, Brady Emergency Medical Care, SOAP notes, our textbook Wilderness and Rescue Medicine, and The Wilderness Medical Associates Field Guide.
COMPLETION
Successful completion of the course is based on 100% attendance, course participation, performance during rotations, and satisfactory performance on both written and practical final exams. Passing is based on the cumulative average on the: practical and written exams; satisfactory performance in all experiential activities. Not everyone passes.
WEMT CERTIFICATION
All students who successfully complete this course will receive a WEMT certification from Wilderness Medical Associates. This certification remains valid for three years. For information on renewing the wilderness portion of the WEMT certification, please refer to the 'Recertification Answer Sheet' from Wilderness Medical Associates.
STATE CERTIFICATION and LICENSURE
Upon successful course completion of the course, students will take the written and practical exams for the state where the course is held. Wilderness Medical Associates will cover all fees associated with these exams. For courses held in Maine, of those students who pass the exams, only those affiliated with a Maine rescue service will be licensed in Maine. The license remains valid for three years. Please call the Maine Office of EMS in Augusta (207-287-3953) with questions related to recertification of your Maine EMT license. For courses held in other states, check with the sponsoring organization for information on state licensing.
OTHER STATE CERTIFICATIONS and LICENSURE
Students wishing to be certified and/or licensed in a state other than where the course is held must contact their state EMS office to apply for reciprocity. Requirements vary from state to state so Wilderness Medical Associates cannot guarantee that successful completion of this course will lead to certification within a particular state. However, for Maine courses, successful completion of the Maine State exams, which also happen to be the National Registry exams, will increase the odds that reciprocity will be granted in another state. The length of certification and recertification requirements varies from state to state.
NATIONAL REGISTRY CERTIFICATION
The State of Maine has adopted the National Registry exam as their state exam. However, the National Registry requires an additional fee if you want them to score it and receive the National Registry certification. Successful completion of this exam will lead to provisional registration at the EMT-Basic level. Six month's experience in the field of emergency medicine within two years is required for full certification at this level. Certification remains valid for approximately two years. Please call the National Registry (614-888-4484) with questions related to recertification.
OTHER CERTIFICATION
Students will be certified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) at the Basic Life Support (BLS) level. Certifications remain valid for three years. There are many different levels of CPR. EMT's must maintain a BLS-CPR.
COURSE CONTENT
This course meets all requirements of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) curriculum, the State of Maine EMT-Basic curriculum (for courses held in Maine, courses held in other states meet that state’s curriculum), and the Wilderness Medical Associates WEMT Upgrade curriculum. Topics include patient assessment, body systems, equipment improvisation, trauma, oxygen administration, automatic defibrillation, environmental medicine, toxins, backcountry medicine, wilderness protocols, and wilderness rescue. To discuss course specifics, please contact us: office@wildmed.com, 1-888-WILDMED. |
