Wilderness First Aid / First Responder

[Flyfisher]

I'm closing in on the end of my first year of medical school and I'm looking for something to do this summer.

I'm interested in EM and particularly in the wilderness and international medicine side of EM. Is a WFA or WFR course taken this summer something that will be valuable in the long run, or will I eventually learn what I need to know in an EM residency?

If anyone has any better ideas for what to do over a short (7week!) summer I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

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[psychbender]

I'm closing in on the end of my first year of medical school and I'm looking for something to do this summer.

I'm interested in EM and particularly in the wilderness and international medicine side of EM. Is a WFA or WFR course taken this summer something that will be valuable in the long run, or will I eventually learn what I need to know in an EM residency?

If anyone has any better ideas for what to do over a short (7week!) summer I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

At this point in your education, neither course will probably add all that much. If I were you, I'd spend those 7 weeks relaxing, or maybe starting some step 1 board prep. Most likely, though, I'd just try to do anything not related to medicine. If you really want to do something medical, and you're really interested in wilderness medicine, and your break coincides with any of the Wilderness Medical Society meetings, you might try attending one of those, especially if they offer AWLS (Advanced Wilderness Life Support)--I know the July 21-25 meeting at Snowmass does. From what I've read from their course manual, they cover much more than any WFA or WFR class I've seen.

 

[Rugby MD]

also, if you are interested in doing something that has to do with wilderness medicine this upcoming fall or spring, get a team of 3 people together and participate in a MedWAR- medical wilderness adventure race. There are 5 different ones across the country. I have participated in a couple and helped albany med put together the newest expansion race this past fall. It's a great experience, it combines orienteering, hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing and kayaking- depending of the season of course- with medical scenarios- complete with patients, fake blood and even an ice axe "through" someone's leg once. I was a first year when I first participated with virtually zero clinical experience. At any given race you may be competing with emergency physicians, emts, med students or even premeds.
Check out the website www.medwar.org or pm me for more info.

 

[firecoins]

I don't really think you would get anything good from it. Medically speaking it won't get particularly deep. I guess response issues would be cool.