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WEMSI-International Medical Director, Jel Coward

By Vicky Smith

We have now wrapped up the 2014 WEMSI-International W-EMT and Wilderness Physician courses at Glenmore Lodge.

Every year I ask myself how we get the fantastically diverse faculty of outdoors, rescue and expedition folk to come and give their immense energy and a week of their busy lives……..and every year they come.

The answer must be in the course participants.  All so keen to learn and improve their knowledge and skills to be able to look after sick and injured people.  Many of them in the setting of mountain rescue, cave rescue and other voluntary aid organisations.

About 84 contact hours of committed learning, carefully blended with just enough fun, to produce an immersive educational experience.

The journey from the beginning of the week to the end is a delight to observe.  Students grow in competence and confidence to the point where it is clear that they can manage very sick patients in wilderness emergency medical situations.  The confidence they gain will allow them to utilise their knowledge and skills when the need arises.

What is that journey?  It is focussed time on patient assessment in difficult circumstances, a wide covering of wilderness medical problems and trauma and of course, the niche areas such as altitude illness, heat illness, cold injury, hypothermia, envenomations and wilderness safety.

The Wilderness Physicians are also exposed to the art of providing medical advice and support over VHF radios and satellite phones.  They learn to plan for being the medical officer for expeditions and how to help expedition companies with the medical aspects of running safe and effective expeditions……and almost by stealth….the input and feedback from the faculty around team working and interpersonal skills helps the participants develop into solid, effective team players.

Yes, on reflection, I know why the faculty come back year after year.