Wilderness Medicine Electives (for Students & Residents)

Below is a list of Wilderness Medicine Electives. If you know of other wilderness medicine electives available that are not currently listed, please email  Anna Russell with additional information. 

 

WMS Electives 

Program Name  Eligibility    Contact Person    Additional Information 
 BreckWild M4   

 Lara Phillips MD, FAWM,

Josh Rudner, DO, DiMM

   Four week elective Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.
 Virginia Tech

Designed for third and fourth year medical students, residents, 2nd year PA students and senior nursing students who are enrolled in a program at an accredited or internationally recognized allopathic or osteopathic medical school, PA or nursing school or residency program in the US and abroad.

  

 Stephanie Lareau, MD, FAWM, DiMM, DiDMM; 

CJ Waasdorp, DO, FAWM; 

Erin Meyer, DO

  Four week student and two week resident Wilderness Medicine elective.

 

 Non-WMS Electives

 Program Name Eligibility Contact/Email  Additional Information
 Cornell Medical College  M3, M4  Flavio G. Gaudio, MD

Combined four-week program with two-week Wilderness Medicine elective in New York,and Field Portion TBA. Pending re-open post Covid.
 Georgetown University  M4 (not accepting visitors)  Matt Wilson, MD  Wilderness Medicine elective in DC/MD/WV held every Spring with climbing, camping, canoeing, and local fire/rescue collaborations. 
 GWU    John LaFleur, MD  A two-week elective consisting of lectures. practicals, skill sessions, and simulations/scenarios intended to expose students to the practice of medicine in extreme environments. 
Hands  of Experanza
 MS 3-4, PA, NP, Paramedic [email protected]  
 Jackson,WY Emergency/ Wilderness Medicine Elective  Open to senior EM Residents in good standing only.

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

  St. John's Medical Center (SJMC) is a progressive, remote, rural 48-bed hospital facility, with a 5-bed ICU, state-of-the-art radiology department and surgical departments, as well as a 60-bed long term care center. 
Johns Hopkins University    Michael Millin, MD  Held in beautiful Catocin Mountain Park in western Maryland. A combination of didactic lectures, simulation training, practical demonstrations and outdoor group scenarios/exercises. 
Maine Medical Center  Open to M4 and visiting students with two spaces for Residents  Garreth Debiegun, MD, FAWM, FACEP  The MMC Wilderness Medicine Elective is probably the oldest elective in the country, having been run since 1993. Participants will split time in the Emergency Department and in the backcountry. Two consecutive weeks will be spent in the remote Maine wilderness; one week hiking and one week canoeing. Includes traditional lectures, hands on skills workshops, and multiple simulations/scenarios.  All participating students will receive a SLOE. 
Carolina Wilderness EMS Externship  Available for visiting M4 students and rotating Residents  Seth Hawkins, MD  The Carolina Wilderness EMS Externship differs from most wilderness medicine electives in that the emphasis is almost entirely on EMS activities, rather than general wilderness medicine. 
NOLS/Harvard Emergency Medicine Medical Student Elective  Available for 3rd and 4th year medical students [email protected]  

Offered by NOLS Wilderness Medicine in partnership with the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency Program. Features an integrated curriculum focused on wilderness medicine, leadership, outdoor skills and effective medical education. 
Outworld Medical and Rescue   Bruce Hagen BA EMT-P, Director of Training & Education  Wilderness Medicine, Expedition Medicine, Remote Medicine, International Medicine, World Medicine, and Austere Medicine.
 RacingThePlanet/4 Deserts Series  Senior EM Residents and Fellows with an interest in providing sports medicine.   Brian J. Krabak, MD, MBA  Events are unique, rough country footraces over seven days and some 250 kilometers in remote and culturally rich locations around the world. 
 UC Irvine  3rd and 4th year medical students   Two-week elective consisting of lectures, practicals, skill sessions, and simulations/scenarios intended to expose students to the practice of medicine in extreme environments. Incorporates a 4-day experiential backpacking trip as well as sessions in rock-climbing and rope rescue, marine medicine, and hyperbaric medicine.
 UC San Diego    Beckett Kirk  
 UCSF Fresno   [email protected]  Combination of classroom didactics and hands on training in the Sierras/Yosemite Park. Major topics in Wilderness Medicine are covered. 
 University of Colorado    Todd Miner, Ed. D., FAWM  
 University of Massachusetts Medical School   For third- and fourth-year medical students, although first and second year may be accepted to a waitlist in advance.   Sara Nelson, MD  
 University of Michigan Medical School Wilderness Elective Open to University of Michigan M4s, with several spots for visiting US M4s that apply through VSAS.  Matt Basinger, MD, FAWM A four-week course of outdoor didactics, field experience, and training including didactics at the University of Michigan, backpacking and kayaking Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, climbing Red River Gorge, and caving in Buckner Cave, in addition to many other hands-on wilderness experiences.  
 University of New Mexico  Designed for physicians, residents, and medical students. All participants must have completed six weeks of medicine, six weeks of surgery, and another month of a primary care specialty rotation [email protected]  Wilderness, International, and Improvisational Medicine Elective. A course that will permit you to overcome preconceived ideas and notions, become better clinicians, and to believe in yourself and others; it is our intention to make this a mentally and physically demanding course. 
 University of Nevada    David Fiore, MD, FAAFP, FAWM  
USC  Elective for M4 students  Sherry Allen  
 University of Utah  M3, M4, paramedic, PA2, PA3, RN, Pharmacy  Richard Ingebretsen, MD  This course is taught both on the campus of The University of Utah in Salt Lake City and in incredible Moab, Utah. Will include both lectures and practical skills sessions with scenario training. Students will certify in Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS). 
 University of Virginia    Nathan Charlton, MD  This intensive course will introduce students to the epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical practice of Wilderness Medicine: the care of patients in austere environments lacking typical health care resources, often under harsh conditions. Course will be taught using traditional lectures, human simulation, course reading assignments, and multiple practical workshops.