Wilderness Medicine Workshop
Overview
The Wilderness Medicine Workshop is a customizable training, typically one day (eight hours) in length, that can cover any of a variety of wilderness medicine topics, based on client needs.
Subjects can include a focus on specific activities or the local environmental context (e.g. SCUBA, tropical medicine, travel medicine, altitude, low-resource settings, marine envenomation, etc.) if desired.
A verification of attendance card is provided. (Course completion certificates verifying skills are not issued.)
The Wilderness Medicine Workshop course is recommended for those seeking a brief, customized, non-certificated training for their group.
Prior to enrolling in a course, please review our Functional Position Description. The criteria set forth in this document allows learners to self-assess their ability to meet the demands of both a Viristar course as well as the demands of a certified wilderness medical provider in the field.
Curriculum and certification for Viristar’s Wilderness First Aid course is provided by Wilderness Medical Associates International. Viristar is proud to be a Licensed Training Company of WMAI.
Description
Course topics can be customized depending on client needs. For example, a group may choose to focus on environmental emergencies for their local context (tropical, marine, alpine, etc.).
Course topics may include:
- Patient Assessment System
- Circulatory System
- Respiratory System
- Nervous System
- Musculoskeletal Injuries and Extremities Splinting
- Environmental Medicine: Thermoregulation, Submersion Injury, Lightning/Electrical Injury
- Medical-Legal
- Wounds & Burns
- Allergies & Anaphylaxis
- Medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, seizure disorder)
- Toxins, Bites and Stings (venomous snakes, scorpions, spiders, marine envenomations, etc.)
- Backcountry Medicine
Host A Course. Or Enroll in a Course.
There are two ways to engage with Viristar’s wilderness medicine trainings. Host a course in your location, or enroll as an individual in a currently scheduled class.
Host A Course
Viristar offers its wilderness medicine trainings in collaboration with a local course host, or course sponsor. The course host arranges for classroom and practical space, recruits and registers participants, acquires a minimal amount of teaching gear, and handles customer service and logistics duties. The host collects tuition, and sets the course fee. Viristar provides the instruction, textbooks, and certification, and invoices the course host.
To learn more about hosting a course, contact us.
Host A courseEnroll in a Course
Individuals seeking training can register for a currently scheduled open-enrollment (public) course.
To enroll in a wilderness medicine training, use our Course Finder to see what trainings are currently scheduled and available.
find a CourseInformation for Learners
Evaluation
Participants who attend the entire Wilderness Medicine Workshop receive a card verifying their attendance.
The Wilderness Medicine Workshop does not have a formal evaluation component, and no certificate recognizing assessment of skills or knowledge is provided.
Prerequisites
Participants must be at least 16 years old to attend the Wilderness Medicine Workshop. Those under 18 years of age require the written consent of a guardian or parent.
Information for Course Hosts
Materials Provided
Participants may receive a copy of the textbook Wilderness and Rescue Medicine.
Equipment
Course hosts may be asked to supply some basic course materials. These may include CPR mannequins, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, rope or webbing, poles or other rigid devices, and tarps for use in splinting and patient packaging drills. Viristar will provide a specific equipment list, can assist in procuring certain course supplies.
Customization
The Wilderness Medicine Workshop (also known as Wilderness Medical Workshop) is fully customizable to meet client and participant needs. A wide variety of topics in basic first aid, environmental medicine and emergency care can be provided. Please speak with a Viristar representative about your specific curriculum interests.
