Wales

Expedition & Wilderness

Medicine

6 - 10 Sept 2022

£350

Hello to all budding expedition medics!

Hot off the press: Back by popular demand we're heading back to the hills and forests of Wales for 5-days jam packed with medical simulation, practical learning and, as always, a good dollop of adventure.  If you have love for the outdoors and all things wilderness medical then this is the course for you.  Perfectly suited for all medical students, junior doctors, training paramedics or budding expedition leaders looking to acquire new knowledge and experience, especially if you're thinking about heading off on an expedition in the future.  We're hoping for clear days and sunny skies in this stunning location.

In general we’ll be covering:

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• Mountain Medicine and Basic Ropework

• Jungle and Tropical Medicine

• Heat Illness and Hypothermia

• Trauma Scenarios

• Expedition Medical Preparation and Planning

• GPS and Navigation Exercise

• Medical Kit and Supplies

• How to get started with Expedition and Wilderness Medicine

With 30 spaces available you'll be well looked after by our crew of experts including wilderness doctors and professional expedition leaders.  So there's plenty of opportunity to learn, meet new people and practice your skills in the field.

Itinerary

Day 1:

By 11am we meet and greet our instructors and fellow teammates before familiarising ourselves with our surroundings and basecamp layout.  After lunch you’ll be taken through some essential expedition skills, water purification techniques, fire and shelter, along with the important aspects of campcraft and rope work.  In the evening there will be time to get to know your teammates around the firepit as we dish out gear and get a hearty meal in. 

Day 2:

Mountain Medicine - A full day of expedition simulation, GPS navigation and wilderness medicine scenarios.  We’ll set off on the trail practicing both expedition skills and wilderness medicine along the way.  Be ready for emergency scenarios, improvised stretcher carries, and ropework along the journey.  In the evening we fire up the generator for a tutorial on Expedition Preparation and Planning.

Day 3:

Jungle Medicine – We start under the teaching tarp with our “jungle top-tips” tutorial and an overview of the tropical medicine you’re likely to see.  In the afternoon it’s time for Expedition Skills & Parang Safety followed by more medical scenarios and practicals.  As the sun is setting we dive into a med kit rummage to learn the secrets of pulling together a field medical kit.

Day 4:

We try our hand at building shelters for different environments, practice our radio comms skills and learn about the realities of working in remote places.  From 3pm onwards we light up the BBQ and spend the evening resting our bodies and brains (participation in games and festivities is optional).  

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Day 5:

Time for one last major casualty simulation followed by some fun (and educational) games.  After a late lunch we practice our leave-no-trace rule as we pack up camp and head back to civilisation for around 15:00.

Sound good?

* given the present uncertainty with travel, booking is fully refundable in the case of pandemic related cancellation.

Kit List

You will need:

Tent

Sleeping mat

Appropriate sleeping bag

Camping stove with fuel

Plate, mug and cutlery

Warm clothing including a down jacket

Waterproof top to bottom

Walking boots

Food

Day pack

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*If you need to hire additional items we can facilitate this as long as you let us know beforehand.

Details

We'll be staying at a campsite in the Brecon Beacons Mountain Range in South Wales.  The cost works out at £350pp with your own transport.  Check with your University WMS to see if they're planning on going or taking a minibus if you're part of a big group.  You may be able to jump in with another University WMS crew so pop a post in the forum to make contact.  The trip is self-catered to keep your costs down and we recommend Expedition Foods (discount code "unique10") or The Fell Store (discount code "uniqueexpeditions") for your suppers and plenty of snacks.

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For more information and photos check out The Adventure Medic Magazine course review here.