2026 WMS Summer Conference In-Person

Asheville WMS Summer Conference
Immerse yourself in the heart of wilderness medicine as we gather in the vibrant mountain town of Asheville, NC. This event will bring together healthcare professionals, outdoor enthusiasts, and wilderness medicine experts for a unique blend of education, networking, and adventure. Participate in cutting-edge learning through hands-on workshops, expert-led sessions, and discussions highlighting the latest advancements in wilderness medicine. Take in the scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains while connecting with peers who share your passion for the outdoors. Celebrate the diversity and collaboration that continue to strengthen our wilderness medicine community.

By registering for this event you agree to the attachments and statements on the Participation Expectations Page.

Please note, this is the registration page only. For detailed information such as  schedule, faculty and credit, click the button below.

More Information

In order to receive CME/FAWM credits after the conference has concluded, you must select each individual program item that you intend to participate in and ensure that it is added to your itinerary. 

Cancellation and refund policy. 

  • On or before Monday, May 25, 2026 in order to receive full refund.

  • Between Tuesday, May 26, 2026 but on or before Monday, June 22, 2026 in order to receive a full refund minus $50 USD service fee.

  • Between Tuesday, June 23, 2026,  but on or before Thursday, July 3, 2026, in order to receive a full refund minus $100  USD service fee.

  • After July 4, 2026 no refunds will be given.

Registrant can choose to transfer their in-person registration to a virtual option up until July 4, 2025. The difference between the two registration prices will be offered as a refund or you may choose to donate the amount. 

 
When
7/19/2026 - 7/22/2026
Where
1 Resort Drive Asheville, NC 28806 UNITED STATES
Registration
Sign in or create an account to register
Last day to register is 7/20/2026

Program

Saturday, 18 July 2026

Description
Optional Donation to Conference Scholarship Fund
This scholarship exists to help ease the financial burden of attending the bi-annual WMS conferences, for those currently in-training. This scholarship is intended for WMS members who are currently in training (ie: students in healthcare fields, GME fellows, or resident physicians). Conferences provide many valuable educational and networking opportunities and attending a conference can significantly impact the future career of our members in-training. We are grateful for the commitment to advancing the field of wilderness medicine and the careers of our members-in-training through generous scholarship donations.

To donate a different dollar amount to support conference scholarships, visit wms.org/donate.

Monday, 20 July 2026

Description
Welcome
The conference chair and chair elect will welcome attendees.
Time
7:45 AM - 8:00 AM
7:45 AM
Wild Nutrition from Canyons to Reality TV and Up
Using real world examples of nutritional choices effecting performance in wilderness survival settings. This lecture will highlight bad and good nutritional choices. Giving listeners some tools to choose better nutrition on their next wilderness adventure.
Time
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
8:00 AM
SAR in Southern Appalachia: Locals' Guide to Cutting Edge Wilderness Care in the Blue Ridge
A discussion of the mountains, climate, and topography surrounding Asheville and the tactics and technology local SAR teams deploy to effect rapid medical intervention and extrication in this unique environment.
Time
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM
8:45 AM
Integrating Climate Data Into Emergency Preparedness: Considerations for Clinicians and First Responders
Move beyond abstract discussions of climate change and learn how to use practical climate and environmental data to anticipate patient surges, recognize climate-sensitive illnesses, and guide real-time preparedness and response decisions in clinical and prehospital care settings.
Time
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
9:30 AM
Managing the Airway in the Wilderness
Case presentations in airway management.
Time
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
10:45 AM
Optimal Hydration in the Outdoor Athlete
this course will cover the normal and pathologic processes that can occur in outdoor athletes, the risks of improper hydration strategies, and the research behind current recommendations.
Time
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
11:30 AM
Three-Minute Thesis
Selected wilderness medicine research will be presented with electronic posters. Poster presentations will be judged for content and quality.
Time
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
12:30 PM
Small Group: Beyond 72 Hours: Medical Kits in Disasters - Lessons from Hurricane Helene
This course will take participants through the events of Hurricane Helene in rural Western North Carolina, as a case study for prolonged field care and isolation. We will discuss challenges in preparing one's home and offices for these situations. Participants will outline their personal current plans and outline plans for improved preparation after the conference.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Small Group: Don't Bonk in the Backcountry: Fueling Your Wilderness Adventures
This interactive, small-group session will delve into the critical role of nutrition in maintaining performance and health in extreme environments. Through engaging case studies, participants will learn to assess and address the unique metabolic demands, common deficiencies, and practical challenges of fueling your adventures in mountaineering/arctic, desert/heat, high altitude, and water/sea environments.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Small Group: Rabies - Risks and Recommendations
This interactive, case-based workshop will examine rabies risk assessment and management in wilderness and remote settings. Participants will work through exposure scenarios involving wildlife and domestic animals, with emphasis on transmission risk assessment and clinical decision-making when access to testing, vaccines, immune globulin, or public health guidance is limited. Current prevention and post-exposure prophylaxis recommendations will be reviewed, along with strategies for patient counseling, evacuation planning, and risk communication.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Workshop: Managing the Airway in the Wilderness
Case scenarios in airway management.
Time
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
2:00 PM
Workshop: Technical Rescue Rope Systems, Lowers and Descent Control
Learn how to appropriately package a patient in a litter and construct a twin tension rope system for lowering.
Time
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
2:00 PM
14ers Lectures: Introduction
The 14ers Mini-Lecture Series is specifically designed to give attendees who have not spoken for the WMS before an opportunity to present a brief, 14-minute lecture on the topic of their choice. In order to increase speaking diversity and variety at future conferences, presenters will be evaluated based on their content and delivery, and the highest ranking 14er will be offered an opportunity to speak during next summer's conference.
Time
4:30 PM - 4:45 PM
4:30 PM
14ers Lecture: How Planning for Space Can Optimize Medical Resource Usage on Earth
Apply the causal risk assessments for space medicine to terrestrial practice, building familiarity with the relevant models to translate the benefits of spaceflight analysis to medicine on Earth.
Time
4:45 PM - 5:00 PM
4:45 PM
14ers Lecture: Freediving Decompression Illness & Use of In-water Recompression
Time
5:00 PM - 5:15 PM
5:00 PM
14ers Lecture: Underground Appalachia: America’s Most Accessible Extreme Environment
Although caves are one of the most challenging environments on earth, their relative accessibility provides unique opportunities for both adventure and danger.  The southern Appalachian mountains have one of the highest density of caves on earth, and exploration of this alien terrain of perpetual darkness, constant cool temperature, and high humidity poses unique medical challenges.  This lecture proposes to introduce those interested in wild cave exploration to this vulnerable wilderness environment, its physiologic challenges, and challenges to the provision of medical care.
Time
5:15 PM - 5:30 PM
5:15 PM
14ers Lecture: Beyond the Silence - Understanding What Lies Beneath Drowning Events
This session draws on my personal rescue experiences, including pediatric drowning cases and frontline work with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, to explore submersion injuries. Participants will examine risk factors, clinical management, and prevention strategies, and learn practical lessons to improve community response and safety systems.
Time
5:30 PM - 5:45 PM
5:30 PM
14ers Lecture: The Highs and Lows of Managing Insulin-Delivery Devices and Other Diabetic Technology in the Wild
Provide advanced education around insulin-delivery devices and other diabetes technology in the wild
Time
5:45 PM - 6:00 PM
5:45 PM
14ers Lecture: Training to Failure: It's OK to Use This F-Word
Learn why failure is an important tool to intentionally use as an outcome in medical and rescue training and education, including examples of it's effectiveness and strategies to implement in your organization.
Time
6:00 PM - 6:15 PM
6:00 PM
14ers Lecture: Conclusion/Q & A
Time
6:15 PM - 6:30 PM
6:15 PM

Tuesday, 21 July 2026

Description
Depth Dynamics: Exploring the Physics and Physiology of Diving from Surface to Abyss
Move beyond standard didactic discussions of gas laws and transition into a multi-dimensional exploration of the "Descent Narrative." This session bridges foundational dive physics—such as Boyle’s and Dalton’s Laws—with the high-altitude complexities of technical diving physiology.
Time
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
8:00 AM
Toxins Turned Therapeutic: Plants and Venoms in the Modern Pharmacopeia
This session will explore how naturally occurring plant toxins and animal venoms have been transformed into widely used therapeutic agents in modern medicine. The session will highlight mechanisms of action, clinical applications, and safety considerations that bridge toxicology, pharmacology, and wilderness medicine. Participants will gain practical insight into how hazardous natural substances have informed drug development and patient care.
Time
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM
8:45 AM
The Creepy Crawlies: Vector Born Diseases While Traveling
Review the epidemiology, presentation, and spread of vector-borne diseases and discuss methods of control and treatment.
Time
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
9:30 AM
Vintage Ventures: Wilderness Medicine Considerations in the Older Adult
Case based discussions aimed at learning about the care of the older adult and geriatric wilderness medicine considerations
Time
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
10:45 AM
A Difference Perspective: Environmental Injuries in Forensic Pathology
Case examples of lethal environmental injuries exploring the pathology of injury and emphasizing assessment of the scene to assist in triage and diagnoses.
Time
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
11:30 AM
Trivia
Time
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
12:30 PM
MedWAR
Work hard, play hard! We’ll do a lot of both in an informative and engaging Medical Wilderness Adventure Race (MedWAR) that will allow competitors to build their skills around common wilderness injury and illness scenarios—all while having fun! It’s time to  put that information gained from the lecture hall to the test with a series of entertaining, hands-on activities aimed at boosting confidence in your abilities as a Wilderness Medicine provider.
Time
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Spots available
29
1:30 PM
Small Group: A 12 Year old on Everest: Special Populations in Wilderness Settings
This interactive small group session will explore nuances of pre-trip clearance and planning, med kit considerations, and the care of women, patients on gender-affirming hormones, children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses in wilderness settings.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Small Group: AI in Wilderness Medical Education
This workshop provides a deep dive into the practical application of Generative AI to enhance wilderness medicine curricula. Participants will transition from understanding the underlying mechanics of Large Language Models (LLMs) to building AI assisted educational assets. We will explore the "Wikipedia Trap"—where general models lack specific expertise—and demonstrate "Grounding" techniques to ensure accuracy by using primary medical sources as the foundation for all AI outputs. Through hands-on sessions with their laptops, participants will learn to transform their existing lectures and research into podcasts, instructional videos, and interactive educational apps.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Small Group: Excelling In Peer Review (2026 Update)
Learn about and develop skills with a tool kit to guide authors submitting articles to medical journals through revision and publication processes.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Workshop: Lifelines in the Flames: Wildfire medical support
An overview of unique aspects of wildland fire medical response and support.  Gain understanding of various wildland fire medical personnel roles and learn about incident within an incident (IWI) management, including developing an extrication plan, conducting an IWI, and utilizing ICS tools.
Time
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Spots available
18
2:00 PM
Workshop: Technical Rescue Rope Systems, Raises and Mechanical Advantage
Explore lightweight tools and techniques for building a mechanical advantage system to raise a load under tension in austere settings.
Time
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
2:00 PM

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

Description
WEM Year in Review
WEM Journal Year in Review Panel: Move beyond static metrics to hear journal leaders contextualize the year’s most impactful publications, emerging themes, and editorial insights shaping the future of wilderness and environmental medicine.
Time
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
8:00 AM
Human Physiology in Alternate Gravity Environments
An exploration of the positive and negative effects of alternate gravity environments on the human system, how the human system acclimates to those effects, what countermeasures are available to keep the human system healthy, and how to bring injured or ill crewmembers back home from austere, remote environments such as the lunar surface and low-Earth orbit.
Time
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM
8:45 AM
Two Banks of The Same River: Swiftwater Rescue from River Guides to Formal Teams
This session introduces the fundamentals of swiftwater rescue through brief history, river dynamics, and core techniques, using real rescue footage to illustrate how people actually move, work, and get into trouble in fast moving water. Participants will build a practical mental model of what is happening in the river and how rescues unfold, and how different rescuers and river users approach the same problems using different tools.
Time
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
9:30 AM
One Hot Mess: Resuscitating Heat Illness
Use a real-world case and up-to-date literature to illustrate important pearls in the recognition and treatment of heat stroke and heat illnesses from the field to the emergency department.
Time
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
10:45 AM
Gone with the Fin: Fishing Injuries of Epic Proportions
This lecture seeks to focus on fishing injuries that go beyond the common while reviewing medical treatments at the point of care and definitive care. Primarily, this lecture will focus on injury patterns possible in noodling, carp tournaments, and other professional and amateur activities.
Time
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
11:30 AM
Trivia
Time
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
12:30 PM
Oral Research Presentations
Selected wilderness medicine research will be presented orally. Oral presentations will be judged for content and quality.
Time
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:00 PM
Small Group: Alternative Gravity Environments - Medical Cases
Discuss and describe historical medical incidents that have taken place in human spaceflight, along with management and resolution of said cases. Participants will be asked to "step into the shoes" of the Mission Control flight surgeon to build a differential, consider operational/logistical considerations, and manage the medical cases.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Small Group: Risk Evaluation: Tools and Tolerance from a SAR Perspective
Participation-driven expert panel discussion focusing on risk assessment and mitigation that can translate into recreational, professional, and personal areas of life including reevaluating and developing risk tolerance. The backbone of the discussion will be case based and a review of key concepts and framework for risk including an overview of heuristics, the “expert halo,” and tools that are designed to create tangible and objective perspective on risk that can help guide you, your patients, subjects, teams, teammates, and adventure companions.
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Small Group: Service Oriented-River Clean Up
Join us for a hands-on conservation experience with MountainTrue, a nonprofit working to protect forests, waterways, and communities across the Southern Blue Ridge. This small group outing will focus on supporting local environmental efforts through service and stewardship. Come ready to make a tangible impact while connecting with others who care about the outdoors.
Time
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
2:00 PM
Additional Banquet Ticket
Time
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
6:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Time
9:00 PM - 9:15 PM
9:00 PM