One of the best things about camping is eating, and you’re likely not the only one in the backcountry who appreciates fine camp cuisine. Any bear, racoon, coyote, skunk, possum, or other opportunistic scavenger close enough to pick up the scent might stop by for dinner or a late night snack. 

And these moochers aren’t picky. They’ll settle for food, trash, even toiletries like toothpaste and soap. That’s why it’s so important to take precautions to protect your foodstuff — and yourself — from bears and other wildlife that might come calling.

Are bears a major safety concern in the backcountry? Only if you encounter them, and that depends on where you’re spending your time. As explained in our previous post, “Gauging Your Safety in the Wilderness: What’s the Most Dangerous Animal?” you’re most likely to run into bears in remote forested or alpine areas. But you should always be careful whenever you’re in an area bears are known to roam.

Explore Your Food Storage Options

Your type of activity and style of travel will determine the food storage system you choose. Here are several simple food storage options to consider:

• If you’re car-camping, simply return your food and cookware to your vehicle after a meal.
• If you’re at a campsite that provides food storage boxes, you can use one of those.
• If you’re on a paddling trip without any risk of encountering a bear, simply secure your food in a cooler with a good lid.

However, if you’re hiking in the backcountry, you’ll need to take some additional precautions. That means using specific food storage methods such as bear hangs or bear cans, and being intentional about how you arrange your campsite.

Using a Bear Hang

Bear hangs dangle your food bag out of reach of animals. They’re lightweight and require minimal equipment:

• Bear bag or stuff sacks to contain your food and scented items, such as toiletries
• 100 feet of rope or parachute cord
• One or two carabiners
• A weighted object, such as a stuff bag with a rock in it (a heavy carabiner can do the trick)

You can choose from several different bear hang techniques. Here’s the basic One-Tree Method:

1. Select a tree with a sturdy branch at least 15 feet off the ground and extending at least five feet out from the trunk.
2. Tie one end of your rope to a weighted object, such as a carabiner or a stuff bag with a rock in it, and toss it over the branch.
3. Clip the carabiner onto your food bags and pull on the opposite end of the rope until the bags are at least 12 feet off the ground and five feet from the trunk of the tree.
4. Tie the end of the rope around the trunk of a nearby tree.

Safety precaution: Be sure nobody is standing in the direction the rope is being thrown or under the area the bag is hung.

This basic method works well in most areas; however, (more…)

Coming off a four-year stint as coordinator for a university outdoor recreation program, J.T. Schexnayder III is proving to be a masterful leader as our outdoor program coordinator. Raised in Myrtle Beach, S.C., this neighboring state native led his middle school peers on backpacking, climbing, caving and paddleboard expeditions to backcountry areas in his home state, as well as other excursions to Colorado and Wyoming.

Before joining us here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), J.T. organized student expeditions for the University of Georgia from 2021 to 2025. Before that, he brought the outdoors into his six- through eighth-grade classes in South Carolina and Wyoming. When school broke for summer, he would head to Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center in Allenspark, Colorado, where as the Adventure Camp director, he supervised and guided climbing, hiking, and outdoor leadership programs as camp director.

Our new program director (he joined our team in June of 2025) received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2018 from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA, with a major in American History. Following that, J.T. received a Master of Science in Forestry and Natural Resources (major in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management) in 2025 from the University of Georgia (Athens, GA).

As an outdoor educator, J.T. is a member of the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE), as well as the Association for Experiential Education (AEE). He holds certifications in Wilderness First Responder (WFR), CPR/AED and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).

We asked J.T. to respond to a few questions about himself and his career, and he graciously agreed: (more…)

In a recent CNN article by Rebecca Cairns and London-based photographer Zed Nelson, the reader is invited to reflect on how we interact with nature, and how much of that “nature” is staged. Nelson’s project, The Anthropocene Illusion, takes viewers on a global journey to see the ways we simulate wild places and wildlife while often turning away from the real thing. 

Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), this type of exploration resonates deeply with the part of our mission that speaks to inspiring stewardship and facilitating authentic experiences in the natural world.

Nelson’s photographs, which are featured in Cairnes article, capture everything from artificial safari parks to lion farms in South Africa, revealing the uneasy truth about how human-made versions of nature have sadly become commonplace. As Cairns writes:

“We’re creating an illusion for ourselves… a stage-managed version of nature where we feel we’re connecting with the natural world, but we’re not.”

Our own observations echo this. We surround ourselves with nature-themed decor ranging from beach-printed bedcovers to desktop wallpapers, all offering a fleeting sense of connection. Yet these are safe, convenient stand-ins that avoid the friction of mud, insects, unpredictable weather, and the physical challenge of being outdoors. Over time, this can (more…)

Last September, we told you we were seeking accreditation from a trio of the nation’s top accrediting bodies: the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), and the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC).

And today, we’re pleased to share that Cognia — the parent organization of the above-mentioned agencies — has officially granted The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) full accreditation status. This is a huge milestone for us, and even more so for the students and families we serve.

What Cognia Accreditation Means for NCOAE Students and Partners

This recognition confirms that NCOAE meets Cognia’s rigorous performance standards, which are the same standards applied to traditional schools, education service providers, and school districts across the country and around the world. More important, it means that students who complete select NCOAE programs — including our High School Summer Block-Semester — may now be eligible to earn and transfer academic credit to their high school.

We’ve always believed that wilderness and the backcountry is a powerful classroom. Now, it’s also an accredited one. 

Why Cognia Accreditation Matters

Cognia is a globally respected nonprofit that accredits more than 36,000 schools and education providers in over 90 countries. Through its regional agencies, Cognia is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Its rigorous evaluation process ensures that institutions like ours deliver high-quality, student-centered learning.

By earning this accreditation, NCOAE: (more…)

Chances are good that you’ve had to take at least one course in English composition that required you to write a 500-word essay entitled, “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.” Most teens talk about their vacation or their summer job, but you can talk about leadership activities for teens.

Perhaps you had the best summer ever and found yourself struggling to limit your prose to a paltry 500 words. However,  most students have trouble finding enough verbosity to attain the required verbiage. 

Don’t let that happen to you. You can make this summer the one you’ll never forget!

Explore the outdoors while building your technical outdoor skills on a Teen Leadership Expedition this summer with us here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE).

For 2025, we are offering several 14-day summer camp courses designed specifically as teen leadership activities. Based in Alaska, North Carolina, and the Pacific Northwest, these guided expeditions offer the perfect blend of outdoor adventure, hands-on experiential education, camaraderie, and fun in some of the most awesome wilderness settings in the United States!

Our 14-day teen expeditions feature a ton of adventure, with exciting outdoor activities that include backpacking, mountaineering, trekking, and rock climbing — not to mention paddling activities like canoeing, kayaking, or whitewater rafting.

Here’s what you should know about each destination and course, starting with our two-week Alaska Teen Leadership Expedition. (more…)

Finding a local EMT certification course provider and fitting the training into a busy schedule may seem like an insurmountable obstacle, especially if you’re still in school, working a full-time job — or both. 

The solution? The National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education’s (NCOAE’s) Intensive Self-paced EMT Certification Course, which gives you the freedom to learn at your own pace, from anywhere. 

This flexible EMT certification in Oregon and North Carolina is designed for people who are passionate about emergency response, the Intensive Self-paced EMT Certification Course offers a comprehensive, hands-on approach to learning that combines in-depth coursework with practical, real-world applications.

With expert instructors, engaging online content, and field training opportunities, this flexible EMT course is tailored to meet the needs of busy learners. Ready to dive in? In this post, we share most of what you need to know about this unique course offering from NCOAE, point you to sources where you can find additional details and provide the many benefits of Self-paced EMT Training.

About the Intensive Self-Paced EMT Certification Course

Our team designed this 240-hour self-paced EMT training course to be comprehensive, practical, and efficient. The curriculum is divided into two phases: (more…)

Imagine hiking with a small group of friends or family members in a dense, remote forest. You’re ascending a steep, rocky ravine, when suddenly a member of your group, a middle-aged man with a stout build, clutches his chest and collapses to the ground. Everyone rushes to his side, their voices rising in panic. They all reach for their phones to dial 911, but nobody can get a signal. The nearest medical facility is miles away.

The only hope is that someone in the group is trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Unfortunately, most CPR training is provided in the context of urban settings, including the workplace, community gathering spaces, and our homes. In a remote wilderness environment, responding to a cardio event requires additional skills along with mental calmness and agility — skills and abilities developed and practiced as part of Wilderness First Aid with CPR training.

What Is Wilderness CPR?

Wilderness CPR involves providing life-saving care in remote settings with limited access to medication, medical gear, and emergency medical services. The First Aid component covers everything from assessing situations and injuries/illnesses to treating common injuries, such as cuts, bruises, sprains, broken bones, head trauma, and spinal injuries. It also covers life-threatening conditions that are common in wilderness adventure scenarios, such as hypothermia and dehydration. 

The CPR component covers the process of delivering a combination of rescue breathing and chest compressions to help someone whose breathing or heartbeat has stopped.

Wilderness Care Challenges

Providing first aid and CPR in a remote wilderness environment, as compared to an urban setting, presents some unique challenges, such as the following: (more…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

In the world of outdoor education and adventure-based recreation, there are shining stars that not only inspire peers with their reputation but also for setting the bar high for industry best practices. And here at NCOAE, we operate as if we’re one of those shining stars — not at the exclusion of anyone else, but to push ourselves to be the best we can be. 

As a result of our, The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) has been named the 2023 Organizational Member of the Year by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE).

This prestigious honor comes as a result of developing and maintaining innovative programming at continuously high levels, including high ethical standards in our operations and programming, and being a supportive association member.

AEE the Organization

If you’re unfamiliar with AEE, it’s a well-respected and influential organization in our sector of the outdoor industry, that has been honoring organizations for their contributions for nearly a half century. NCOAE now joins the ranks of renowned organizations such as Deer Hill Expeditions, Thompson Island Outward Bound, Prescott College, and Project Adventure — all previously recipients of this accolade.

The St. Petersburg, Florida-based association, which was previously headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, is a (more…)

As we do each year, we are once again taking advantage of this space to inform you about opportunities for you, your staff, and your organization to participate in professional development, networking, and business growth and development available at upcoming outdoor industry conferences.

In this edition, we are spotlighting nine events taking place between now and the end of this year, as well as bringing to your attention six more events scheduled for the first part of 2024 that might be worthwhile marking on your calendar.

5TH ANNUAL OUTDOOR ECONOMY CONFERENCE
Sept. 18-21, 2023 | Cherokee, North Carolina
Website: https://outdooreconomy.org

Why you should attend: This in-person, multi-day event is designed to foster intentional connections among stakeholders across the outdoor economy, igniting collaborations and catalyzing meaningful actions.

Why your company or organization should exhibit: Whether you’re a conference sponsor with booth space included in your sponsorship package or an independent exhibitor, conference organizers have curated a dynamic program that allows you and your staff to engage with the attendees while respecting the event’s other scheduled activities.

2023 OUTDOOR MEDIA SUMMIT
Sept. 24-26, 2023 | Boise, Idaho
Website: https://outdoormediasummit.com

Why you should attend: Outdoor Media Summit is where some of the brightest minds in outdoor media and marketing gather to share their tips, tricks, strategies, and warnings. If you are a marketer at an outdoor industry brand or an editor, freelancer, podcaster, or other content creator, this may be the conference for you.

WILDERNESS RISK MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
Oct, 18-20, 2023 | Portland, Oregon
Website: https://www.nols.edu/wrmc 

Why you should attend: Attend the Wilderness Risk Management Conference in order to gain practical risk management skills, network with others in the outdoor education and adventure programming industry, share field and administrative techniques, and help develop risk management standards for the outdoor adventure and education industries.

Why your company or organization should exhibit: Connect with more than (more…)

As an accredited outdoor and adventure education provider, we here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) know that people are diligently doing their homework in their search to find the best guided wilderness trips for their children or for themselves.

And topping their list of questions is this query: What makes NCOAE different from programs like Outward Bound, programs like NOLS, and even traditional summer camps? How do you make a well-informed choice between our outdoor education company’s offerings and those offered by a summer camp, tour operator, GAP semester provider, or an unaccredited outdoor adventure programming company?

Many organizations like ours seek to set themselves apart from the top two standard bearers, namely, The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and Outward Bound (OB). Truth be told, NCOAE’s similarities to those organizations far surpass our differences. In fact, like so many other organizations, we trace our pedigree back to programs like Outward Bound and NOLS.

NOLS and OB are leaders in the field, and for very good reason. They’ve been around longer than most every other outdoor education and adventure programming organization out there. Both brands are highly recognizable and trusted, and each has trained hundreds of thousands of people — many of whom have gone on to found outdoor recreation companies of their own.

In addition, these two organizations play leading roles within the outdoor education industry, from convening the annual (more…)

As The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) has grown, so have the skills and knowledge of our expertly trained and credentialed staff members. Take Wesley Hawkins, WFR, for example; a young man who grew up in the Southeast and eventually landed in Georgia where he attended Georgia College and State University.

Majoring in outdoor education with a minor in business administration, Wesley was given a class assignment that brought him to NCOAE for a site visit back in 2014. That trip resulted in Wes becoming an NCOAE intern, assisting with our outdoor programming, and eventually working his way up to lead instructor.

Fast forward to 2023. Wes is now our Director of Course Management and Logistics. He’s responsible for managing all course-related needs, such as transportation, gear, and food, and he makes sure our staff and students are prepared before heading out on their expeditions. He also supervises and assists staff on our backcountry wilderness courses as needed.

Shortly after Wes settled in for the upcoming summer season, we pulled him away from his duties to answer a few questions for the latest post in our Meet the Team series. Here’s what he had to say: (more…)

Outdoor and adventure-based summer camps for teens provide a life-enriching and world-changing experience for those who participate in them. These experiences, offered by accredited adventure-based experiential and outdoor education providers like The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), offer a unique opportunity for teens to develop personal competencies in the following four areas, as well as technical outdoor skills that will last a lifetime:

• Self
• Community
• Action
• Impact

Or, as we here at NCOAE prefer to present it:

Self + Community + Action = Impact

This formula for personal growth, development, and leadership sets us apart from a traditional summer camp, where backcountry experiences are electives and not the backdrop for everything that’s offered.

Parents of teens who choose to participate in our adventure-based summer camps often tell us their teens return home with much more than campfire-building skills. These parents report an increase in caring and empathy on the part of their teens, and a better understanding of the importance of sharing and giving. They also exhibit a greater willingness to stand up for what they believe in, taking responsibility for their actions instead of shifting the blame elsewhere. These teens have discovered that such qualities are essential for building a progressive society and making a positive impact on the world.

Outdoor and adventure-based summer camps experiences that take place in the backcountry create a sense of community and provide opportunities for intergenerational relationships. They help teens develop (more…)

One of the major “perks” of working as a field instructor, guide, or senior staff in the outdoor education and adventure-based programming sector of the outdoor industry used to be an offer of free or low-cost housing. Today, that incentive is more elusive, both for employees at our peer organizations and the staff we hire here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE).

Affordable staff housing — or the lack thereof — tops the list of major financial issues facing those of us who oversee the experiential education programs we run at NCOAE. Our instructors and staff come from around the globe to teach and facilitate our outdoor adventure and education programs. And for us, it has always been important that when they arrive on campus, we attempt to make sure the stress of basic needs does not overshadow the joy of the work.

Carolina Beach, North Carolina, is the closest residential area to NCOAE headquarters, featuring rents that average $1,500 a month. That’s not outrageous if you’re earning $50,000 a year and you consider 30 percent of income for rent as the gold standard for conservative budget management.

But ours is a seasonal business, and part of the problem our sector of the outdoor industry faces is that our staffers don’t make 50 grand a year. In addition, most outdoor education facilities are located in beautiful areas near state and national parks, mountains, beaches, lakes, and other open recreational spaces. Obviously, real estate and rental accommodations are much more costly in such places. 

Outdoor Educators Consistently Lack Affordable Housing Options

Fortunately, NCOAE is not located in an area where rent and income gaps are so disparate that staff must move to other locations to survive. However, at the end of the day we are (more…)

Experience is among the biggest hurdles you need to clear in order to enter any competitive profession. However, clearing this hurdle can be especially challenging for those entering the medical field because it’s unlikely you can get into medical school without some experience under your belt.

Unlike other professions, the field of medicine offers internship opportunities only upon graduation from medical school. So, the question for many high school and college students aspiring to become doctors is this: How do I get the patient care experience I need to get into medical school if I’m not a doctor?

Our solution? Perhaps the best clinical experience for pre-med can be obtained by training for and working as an emergency medical technician (EMT). As an EMT, you get diverse hands-on patient care experience in a fast-paced, high-intensity treatment environment while working closely with firefighters, police officers, doctors, and other emergency-response and medical professionals. And you gain exposure and experience with patients who have a variety of medical conditions in a broad range of emergency response scenarios.

Discover  efficient and effective paths to medical school, and ways to get the clinical experience needed to increase your chances of being accepted.

The Path to Medical School

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the recommended approach to getting into medical school includes:

1. Explore your medical career options.
2. Get some experience.
3. Stay on track for medical school.
4. Get more experience and explore resources.
5. Team up with your advisor to build a game plan.
6. Register and prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
7. Prepare for med school interviews.
8. Receive letters of acceptance or rejection.
9. Prepare for medical school.

Steps 2 and 4 call for gaining experience — hands-on patient care experience. The people who run medical schools are only looking for serious candidates — intelligent individuals who are passionate about the field. They seek those committed to completing a rigorous and prolonged education and training program.

They don’t want to fill their limited openings with candidates who are likely to drop out after their first encounter with a cadaver. Nor do they want to discover later that a (more…)