Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), we are known to be among the best in class among providers of outdoor education and wilderness-based adventures for youths and adults, and wilderness medical and EMT training for adults.

To that end, we are excited to announce that we are currently in the final stage of seeking accreditation with Cognia, a globally recognized nonprofit organization acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Education, that provides accreditation, certification, assessment, and professional learning services for continuous improvement to public, private, and independent postsecondary schools, among others.

NCOAE attributes its success to several qualities that set us apart from others who offer the same or similar services and experiences. These include our highly knowledgeable, experienced, and passionate leadership team and staff and our unique core curriculum, carefully crafted to positively impact each participant’s self-confidence, interpersonal relationships, and commitment to fulfilling their civic and environmental responsibilities.

But we don’t expect you to take our word for it. Several highly reputable, independent organizations have given us their seals of approval through their accreditation programs, including the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) and the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE). Further boosting our street cred is that fact that both the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services and the State of North Carolina have approved us to offer an intensive 21-day EMT-Basic training curriculum.

Why Cognia Accreditation Matters

Since 1895, Cognia, most well-known as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS/CASI) rebranded about five years ago, offers research-based performance standards that are created with one end in mind — to ensure high-quality learning. They define the practices that are essential for (more…)

Within three weeks of graduating from the Intensive Hybrid EMT course offered by us here at The National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education’s (NCOAE), Robert Fox had obtained his national and state emergency medical technician (EMT) licenses and had a job offer in hand at a local ambulance service.

Today, this Athens, Georgia, native works full time as an EMT. In addition — and in short order — Robert in on track to attend school to become an advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT) this fall. Advanced emergency medical techs provide basic and limited advanced emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients. 

These advanced technicians possess the knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. And after that schooling? Robert is thinking about starting a paramedic program at a local community college.

So, what prompted such inspiration for our young graduate? Robert began his career as a senior wilderness guide, working in the field from 2007 to 2013. It was while taking a course to maintain his Wilderness First Responder certification that he became interested in more advanced emergency medical services (EMS). 

But, sharing that the timing wasn’t right, Robert decided to work in behavioral health and criminal justice for (more…)

Look, listen, and feel. 

If you’ve been around wilderness medicine long enough, you may remember when this was the standard teaching for determining breathing status. You place your hand on the injured party’s stomach (feel), your ear to their mouth (listen), and watch (look) to see whether their chest is rising and falling.  

This method remains a foundation for assessing breathing, and its application has been expanded to cover a wider range of injuries and illnesses common in wilderness scenarios.

Look, Listen, and Feel

Look, listen, and feel is still a great way to remember that much of the assessment process (arguably the most important) comes in the form of look (visually inspect), listen (auscultate), and feel (palpate). These three actions are like the bumps on a key that align with tumblers to open a lock. In the context of emergency medicine, they form the key that unlocks the door to assessing the patient’s condition and developing treatment and evacuation plans.

NCOAE’s Patient Assessment Process

“Assessment” is the process of determining the nature, quality, or ability of something. In the context of medical assessment, it refers to determining the realities of the patient’s condition and environment factors in order to provide appropriate care and make well-informed evacuation decisions. 

In order to most accurately determine these realities, it is important to use a system of assessment that is easy to remember yet sophisticated enough to avoid overlooking vital data.

While assessment varies depending on the patient’s condition, environmental factors, and the wilderness medicine provider’s level of training and experience, The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) patient assessment process is a wonderful example of a (more…)

Bethany Smith’s journey with The National center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) is one marked by passion, adventure, and a deep commitment to outdoor and experiential education. 

Joining our team in 2022, Bethany quickly became an important member of our field operations. After taking a brief break in 2023 to explore the world, we were thrilled to welcome her back for another season. Whether she’s navigating whitewater rapids or guiding students through challenging backcountry terrain, Bethany’s enthusiasm and expertise shine through in everything she does.

As you’ll learn, Bethany’s love for the outdoors started unexpectedly and has grown into a lifelong passion. From her early days as a raft guide to her current role as Lead Field Instructor & Raft Guide, she’s dedicated herself to helping students achieve their objectives in the outdoor classrooms offered in the backcountry. We recently sat down with Bethany to learn more about her journey, experiences, and what she loves most about working at NCOAE. Here’s what she had to say:

NCOAE: Where are you from originally, and when you’re not working in the backcountry, where do you call home? 

Bethany: I was born in (more…)

When next you find yourself in a wilderness area, whether that be at a national park in another state or a local or state park closer to home, take a moment to look at the folks around you while you’re enjoying the flora, fauna and pristine views.

What you’re likely to notice is a lack of diversity. That’s because the majority of those who spend time in wilderness and the backcountry participating in human-powered outdoor recreational pursuits are predominately white. 

Fact is, statistics collected by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service show that while people of color make up nearly 40 percent of the total U.S. population, close to 70 percent of those who visit national forests, national wildlife refuges, and national parks are white. And Blacks remain the most dramatically underrepresented group in all of these spaces.

It’s not that people of color and other underrepresented groups don’t appreciate and enjoy the outdoors. Visit an urban park — especially on a weekend — and you’re likely to see more people and activity at parks located in black and Hispanic sections of town than at parks in predominantly white neighborhoods.

The question is why? What’s keeping state and federal parks and other wilderness areas from reflecting the diversity of the overall population in this country? A good follow-up question might be what can be done to make these areas and their associated outdoor activities attractive to a more diverse population?

Exploring the Possible Reasons for the Lack of Diversity in the Backcountry

Several factors may be contributing to the lack of diversity in human-powered outdoor adventure and recreation activities. These factors can be broken down into (more…)

Wilderness medicine has been broadly defined as the provision of medical care when environmental conditions play a stronger role in decision making and interventions than the established systems of care.

It’s something we take quite seriously here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). We also ensure that all of our field instructors, course directors, and other NCOAE staff hold current certifications in wilderness medicine. On top of that, we teach wilderness medicine courses ourselves.

Editor’s Note: See “What is Wilderness Medicine” here on the NCOAE Blog for a deep dive into defining wilderness medicine. 

The history of wilderness medicine as we know it today, is generally traced back to the 1980s and the emergence of the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) in 1983. However, it has been in practice centuries earlier than that. In respect to Western Civilization, caring for the sick and injured in the field has its origin in early Greek and Roman societies. It has certainly been in practice for as long as human beings have been sailing the seas, exploring the world, and engaging in military operations.

Experts in the field of wilderness medicine universally agree that its continued evolution is (more…)

Like many podcasts that host informal chats with founders of businesses, organizations, and charities, Zac and Celine Adair recently offered listeners a glimpse into the heart and soul of their “baby,” The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE).

Zac and Celine, NCOAE’s co-founders, are showcased in Episode 15 of “It’s In the Experience,” presented by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) and hosted by Sherry Bagley, AEE’s executive director. To listen to the 45-minute episode, which is titled Overcoming Challenges: Creating Positive Experiences in Experiential Education, subscribe to “It’s In the Experience” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast App, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Or, you can listen to Overcoming Challenges: Creating Positive Experiences in Experiential Education by clicking on the audio file below:

Episode Highlights

Here’s a high-level overview of what’s featured in the episode, which was published by AEE in mid-June of this year: (more…)

Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) we like to take backcountry cooking to the next level, and that means teaching students how to prepare gourmet meals while on backcountry expeditions.

Whether it’s starting your day with a hearty breakfast, making a quick lunch wrap on the run, or preparing a veggie-filled dinner at the end of a long day hike, climb, or paddle, this post includes three backcountry recipes that might inspire you for the meals you’ll prepare and enjoy on your next adventure.

Cooking in the backcountry doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor or nutrition. In fact, with a little planning and creativity you can enjoy delicious, nutritious, and satisfying meals that fuel your human-powered outdoor activities. Our field instructors have crafted these recipes to be both easy to prepare and incredibly tasty, ensuring that your time in the backcountry is complemented by great food.

Heard, Chef! When you’re in the wild, having a variety of meals that are quick and simple to prepare can make a big difference in your attitude and overall experience. The three recipes below are designed to maximize flavor while minimizing cooking time and cleanup, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the great outdoors.

At NCOAE, we believe that good food is an essential part — in fact, a highlight — of any outdoor adventure. Not only does it provide the energy needed for strenuous activities, but it also brings people together, creating memorable experiences around the campfire. So, whether you’re a seasoned outdoor chef or a beginner, give these recipes a try.

Note: The following recipes are meant for groups of 12. Do the math and adjust for the size of the group for whom you’re cooking.

Backcountry Recipe 1 – Breakfast

Breakfast Burritos with Hash Browns

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Scrambled Egg powder or 24 Eggs
• 4 Cups Hashbrowns (dried)
• Onion, diced
• Bell Pepper, diced
• 12 Tortillas
• 1 Cup Salsa
• 2 Cups Cheese
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Bacon Bits, optional
• Ketchup packets, optional
• Butter / oil

Directions | Instructions | Serves 12 (more…)

In addition to working for The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), I’ve had the good fortune to assist public, private, and charter schools in setting up outdoor education programs for the past 25 years. During that time, I’ve developed a few winning strategies for educators embarking on such adventures.

Some of my more successful programs have included launching a learning farm for a public school system with 32,000 students, transforming schools into outdoor learning labs as a model for a school district, and even helping former inmates return to the world beyond bars by diving deep into outdoor experiences. (You can learn more about some my school-related work by reading “Taking Learning Outdoors: Merrick-Moore Elementary” on The Great Trails State Coalition website.)

None of these projects were easy, but they can be done. In this post, I offer insights on how to start an outdoor education or adventure program for your classroom or school. Let’s begin with planning and dreaming.

Have a Dream, Plan Your Work, and Work Your Plan

To successfully launch an outdoor education program, it’s important to start with a clear vision and follow a structured plan. Here’s an approach I’ve developed based on both my experiences and the wisdom of my mentors (more…)

In wilderness medicine, the traditional response to a potential spinal injury has emphasized immobilizing the patient to prevent further injury. To this end, emergency responders have been trained to use advanced immobilization techniques and equipment, such as rigid cervical collars and spinal boards in conjunction with manual stabilization. 

And while nobody educated in emergency medicine would argue against the importance of motion restriction, the priority is shifting as doctors and emergency personnel consider it in the larger context of overall patient health and safety.

Given the importance of the spine in a person’s overall health, the focus on immobilizing patients with suspected spinal injury is no surprise. The spine protects the spinal cord, which functions like a fiber-optic network to carry signals throughout the body to and from the brain. Interruptions in the continuity of the spinal cord can dramatically impact a person’s ability to move and to interpret and interact with the world.

However, over the last few decades, the medical community has acquired a vast body of evidence concerning care for a person with an obvious or potential spinal injury. As a result, recent years have seen a significant shift in thinking on this subject. The conversation regarding the extent to which a spinal injury is impacted by subsequent treatment and transport has evolved into a rather heated debate that’s (more…)

Shortly after graduating from The National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education’s Intensive Hybrid EMT course, Will Newman began working for Pender EMS and Fire in Burgaw, North Carolina, as an EMT. He recently completed orientation and is eager to serve the rural communities of Pender County as a medical provider.

Will credits his instructors at NCOAE for their ongoing commitment to his success after graduation, highlighting one instructor in particular for their continued communication and help in securing employment at an EMS agency. He noted that the dedication of our instructors to their students’ success is what makes our EMT training programs so unique.

Additionally, this North Carolina native continues to volunteer at the emergency department in nearby Scott’s Hill, where he has applied many of his new EMT skills. Will’s long-term goal is to attend medical school, and he plans to apply during the next application cycle. (more…)

When some hear the term “wilderness medicine,” they think of those rusty out-of-date First Aid kits that they used to carry with them on a personal hiking or camping trip. “As if that thing is going to do any good in an emergency.”  

In fact, to the average summer weekend outdoor enthusiast, wilderness medicine is limited to treating minor cuts, scrapes, bruises, sprains, bites and poison ivy. A major tragedy would be the occasional broken bone. But it has always been much more than that. 

To realize just how broad wilderness medicine really is, all you need to do is travel back to Antarctica in 1961. That’s when Russian explorer Leonid Rogozov suffered a severe case of appendicitis. Being the only medical doctor on site, he had to perform his own appendectomy. That’s among the extremes of what wilderness medicine is all about.

More recently, the Thailand cave rescue shined the spotlight on wilderness medicine. Thousands of rescue workers and medical personnel, including Thai Navy Seals, the national police, doctors, and nurses, rallied to save 12 teenagers and their soccer coach, all trapped in a complex cave system by floodwaters during a heavy rain. Rescuers had to locate and extract 13 people, some of whom couldn’t swim, from a flooded, two and a half mile stretch of caves. 

The rescue tested experienced divers who struggled to navigate currents and squeeze through the narrow passages. Rescuers had to (more…)

When you’re planning a backcountry-based experiential educational experience for yourself or a child/teen, you want to be sure that the people leading the outdoor program know their stuff. Few things are scarier in life — or potentially deadlier — than being ill-prepared in the wilderness. 

To ensure safety and an enjoyable, fulfilling experience, outdoor educators and field instructors must be highly skilled in many facets of outdoor and adventure education, including the following:

• Wilderness medicine
• Map and compass navigation
• Environmental stewardship principles and practices
• Backpacking planning and packing
• Wilderness shelters
• Backcountry cooking, water purification, and food safety
• Paddling techniques and boat safety (canoe, kayak, or raft)
• Climbing
• Leadership

One of the reasons we here at The National Center for Outdoor Adventure and Education (NCOAE) excel at delivering safe, enjoyable, and transformative outdoor adventures is that we educate our educators. We provide our field instructors with the training and opportunities to pursue the certifications they need to achieve best-in-class status.

Field Instructors and Guides: There IS a Big Difference

NCOAE outdoor educators and field instructors are not just “guides.” They are experienced outdoor educators with a broad range of responsibilities that include the following: (more…)

In wilderness or the backcountry, bad things can happen to even the most experienced of adventurers. Truth is, most illnesses and injuries on the trail can be managed by the adventurer, or with the assistance of someone possessing some training in wilderness medicine. 

Of course, some injuries and illnesses do pose a threat to life or limb, and in other cases, the person — who for our purposes we’ll call our “patient” — may not even survive without professional medical intervention. It’s those situations in the grey area that leave many outdoor adventurers wondering, Do we call for help or not? You maybe conflicted for several reasons: pride or overconfidence, embarrassment or reluctance to admit weakness, misjudging the severity of the situation, concerns over medical costs, or perhaps you lack an effective means to contact emergency services.

As the ancient adage suggests: “He who hesitates is lost,” and the objective of this post is to equip you with the knowledge and insight needed to arrive at the right decision faster. Here, you will learn when to call for help, the type of help to call for, and the various means of communication you can use to call for help.

Important! Before embarking on any wilderness or backcountry adventure, leave your itinerary with a trusted individual, along with instructions to contact emergency personnel in the event that you fail to return or call on the scheduled date of your return. If you need a visual on how important this is, watch the 2010 film 127 Hours, which vividly illustrates the torment suffered by Aron Ralston, the rock climber who was forced to amputate part of his own right arm after it was pinned between rocks in an isolated canyon in Utah.

Deciding When to Call for Help In The Wilderness

When you or someone in your group suffers a serious illness or injury, toss your emotions aside and focus on the following factors in deciding whether or not to call for help: (more…)

You’ve probably passed us on the highway. We’re the weirdos with heads bobbing, playing air guitar and dashboard keyboard, shouting lyrics at the windshield, grinning from ear to ear on our way to the places that make us happy — the backcountry places where people go to play, challenge themselves, and connect with wilderness .

Once while sitting at a dead stop in a traffic jam, a woman hand-crank motioned me to roll down my window. She leaned out her window asked what I was listening to that made me ignore our current, static lack of movement.

Jack Drag! That was my shouted response over the Indie Pop music blaring from my speakers.

Music moves us, literally and figuratively; it becomes the soundtrack of our lives that most of us only realize when we look back decades later.

Working in the outdoor education sector of the outdoor industry means traveling. Sometimes you find yourself on a desert highway, traveling alone to meet your group, gas pedal depressed deep into the car’s carpet, speakers distorting because they can’t handle the volume. You stare out the window into the beautiful brown and green landscape, listening to your favorite band as the lead singer’s voice cracks through the air like a peal of thunder. And then you smile, knowing that at the end of the road you’ll be taking people into (more…)

It’s been my experience that emergency medical personnel — including Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) — tend to be much better at caring for others than for themselves. That’s generally the result of long shifts, life-or-death situations, and consistently helping people who are suffering the worst day of their lives. It’s going to take a toll. 

To compound the problem, those who work in emergency medicine often neglect their own health and fitness. They forgo exercise, reach for junk food because it’s often handier. Or they begin to seek out various substances to get through the day. These might include energy drinks during their shift so they can remain alert. Or maybe a drink or three when they’re off the clock to calm their nerves and help them sleep. 

Eventually, this unhealthy lifestyle catches up to them, negatively impacting their mood, energy, intimacy, and more.

The multi-billion dollar a year health and fitness industry offers little in the way of relief for those in our field. And often overlooked is the overworked and stressed-out Emergency Medical Systems (EMS) shift worker.

If you’re a member of that demographic or you’re considering an EMT training and certification program like our Standard EMT, Hybrid EMT, or Wilderness EMT, don’t wait around in the hopes of that industry or even your own EMS unit will be reaching out to you. Make this your wake-up call. Now is the time to start focusing on your own health and fitness. 

Remember the lesson you’re taught when you board an airplane — put your oxygen mask on first before helping anyone seated next to you with theirs. In the same way, you need to focus on your own health first in order to be healthy and fit enough to assist others when they’re experiencing a medical emergency. And continue that health regimen so you are healthy enough to make a lasting career in emergency medicine.

In this post, I provide practical advice on how to restore and maintain your own physical and mental health and fitness over the long haul.

Manage Stress

Stress kills. We are all well aware of its negative impact on health, but what we need to realize is that a great deal of our stress is self-inflicted. After all, we’re the only ones who can (more…)

For as long as we can remember, private and independent schools have recognized the transformative power of experiential learning, and that’s particularly true when it involves outdoor and adventure-based activities. While all educators are trained and encouraged to seek innovative ways to engage students in their own education, private and independent schools have traditionally been more likely to partner with an organization like ours to create a custom outdoor program that reinforces their curriculum and culture.

Here at The National Center for Outdoor Adventure and Education (NCOAE), we assist all types of schools — including private and independent ones — to seamlessly incorporate outdoor and adventure-based experiential education into their curricula. 

By exploring the benefits, practical considerations, and implementation strategies, we work closely with these schools to enhance their educational offerings. And when we succeed, we find we have awakened and nurtured a sense of adventure in their students. In addition, we have supported the development of well-rounded youth who are better equipped for success in academics, peer interactions, and the communities in which they live.

Benefits for Students

Participation in our highly customized and curriculum-based outdoor education programs contributes to higher student retention rates, higher grade averages, and positive changes in a student’s  “Five C’s” — Competence, Character, Connection, Confidence, and Caring.

At NCOAE, our custom programs for private, independent, and even open enrollment summer camp expeditions for teens are built on our Theory of Change: (more…)

When it comes to emergency medicine — whether in an urban setting or the backcountry — swift and accurate assessments play a pivotal role in determining the severity and progression of an injury and deciding the best course of action. 

The decisions you make regarding treatment, evacuation, and transportation in cases of non-obvious threats to life and limb can determine not only whether someone lives or dies, but also their quality of life should they survive the emergency. After all, quality of life is a huge part of being alive. And a beating heart with minimal brain activity doesn’t always meet a person’s definition of “living.”

The National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education (NCOAE) is a leading provider of wilderness medicine education and certification, and in this post, we’re taking the time to introduce you to the process of evaluating neurovascular function to determine the extent and progression of an injury. By doing so, you can make well-informed treatment, evacuation, and transportation decisions when responding to a medical emergency, no matter the origins of the incident.

Understanding What a Neurovascular Assessment Entails

A neurovascular assessment is a collection of tests used by medical clinicians, including emergency medical personnel such as Wilderness First Responders and Wilderness EMTs, to determine whether someone is suffering nerve damage or impaired blood flow. Neuro refers to anything related to the body’s nervous system, and vascular refers to anything related to the body’s blood vessels. Neurovascular function encompasses the interplay between the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and blood vessels that supply oxygen and other vital nutrients to organs, limbs, and tissues. Any disruption of this intricate balance can lead to severe consequences ranging from impaired cognition to more severe conditions such as stroke or the loss of a limb.

Neurovascular status can be determined by simple tests of the following three functions: (more…)

It’s that time of year — from mid-winter to early spring — when teens, parents, and others are asking for recommendations about fun, educational, and enriching summer camp experiences and outdoor adventures for late-May, June, July, and August. 

With all of the outdoor options available, finding the right summer camp experience can pose a formidable challenge. First off, you need to narrow your choices down to one of three broad categories: day camp, residential camp, or virtual camp. 

From there, you need to choose a focus, such as outdoor adventure, academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports (football and soccer camps, for example), or performance arts (such as ballet or theater). And, at some point, you’re going to need to choose a location, perhaps in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, or North Carolina.

In this post, we tell you about three upcoming opportunities for you to personally meet with experienced summer camp leaders — including our staff at The National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education (NCOAE). These summer camp specialists will provide you with information about the benefits of leadership-focused summer camp experiences for teens who have an appetite for camping, rock climbing, mountaineering, white water rafting, and other human-powered outdoor adventures.

2024 Teen Summer Camp Expos

If you’re shopping for an outdoor adventure this summer for your teen, consider attending a summer camp fair near you. This year (2024), NCOAE will be exhibiting at three camp fairs — two in North Carolina and one in Georgia:

• Wilmington Parent Magazine’s 21st Annual Summer Camp Fair: This is the only event of its kind in the area, providing families with a unique opportunity to explore the summer camp and enrichment options available to their children during summer break.
  Date: Sunday, February 11, 2024
  Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  Location: Elks Lodge, 5201 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC
  For more info, visit: Wilmington Parent Magazine’s 21st Annual Summer Camp Fair 
• Triangle Summer Camp Expo
  Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
  Time: Noon to 3 p.m.
  Location: Wake County Shrine Club, 6015 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh, NC
  For more info, visit: Triangle Summer Camp Expo 
• Atlanta Camp Fair
  Date: Sunday, March 17, 2024
  Time: Noon to 3 p.m.
  Location: Agnes Scott College, 141 East College Avenue, Decatur, GA
  For more info, visit: Atlanta Camp Fair

Appreciating the Benefits of Leadership-Based Summer Camp for Teens

Accredited adventure-based experiential and outdoor education companies like NCOAE offer leadership-based summer camps that provide a unique opportunity for teens to develop technical outdoor skills along with personal competencies in the following four areas: (more…)

When the average person encounters the term “wilderness medicine,” they typically assume it is referring to the practice of medicine in a remote or harsh environment with little to no access to medical equipment or supplies. 

They may imagine a scenario of providing CPR to someone who suffered cardiac arrest during a whitewater rafting adventure or creating a splint out of a branch and a few strands of twine to help a hiker with a sprained ankle become ambulatory. 

While these notions of wilderness medicine aren’t far off the mark, they are limited. In other words, close but no cigar. It’s all the above and more, which makes it a challenge to come up with a clear and comprehensive definition. 

Teaching Wilderness Medicine at NCOAE

Here at The National Center for Outdoor Adventure and Education (NCOAE), our wilderness medicine courses begin with a discussion of what wilderness medicine is, as well as what each student hopes to learn from the course. Often, these discussions elicit points of discussion that require an even broader definition of the term.

While there’s no universally agreed upon definition of wilderness medicine, certain components set it apart from non-wilderness medicine. For the purpose of this blog post, let’s begin with the following definition:

Wilderness Medicine is provision of medical care when environmental conditions play a stronger role in decision making and interventions than the established systems of care. 

Wilderness Medicine encompasses not only the treatment of injuries and illnesses in these settings but also includes preventive measures, survival skills, and the management of environmental hazards such as extreme weather, hazardous terrain, and wildlife encounters.

Wilderness medicine skills and techniques can be applied in a variety of setting, including but not limited to: (more…)