Wilderness Medicine for Students

Student Interest Group

The Wilderness Medicine Program sponsors the Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group which is an organization consisting of medical students and other members of the campus community who share a common interest in wilderness medicine. Past events have included river activities, whitewater safety and rescue, mountain biking, rappelling, weekend camping and hiking trips, sea kayaking, and caving, among others. Each activity includes relevant hands-on medical education.

For more information about the Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group, you can contact the student leaders at thaston@augusta.edu.

Student Lecture & Workshop Series

The Student Educational Series, Introduction to Wilderness Medicine, is coordinated by Dr. Michael Caudell. It is an elective for first year medical students (EMED 5086) that consists of 2 one-hour sessions per week over a 9 week period from January to March. The series aims to prepare students to provide medical care in austere and remote environments. The course focuses on lectures and hands-on skills so that students can learn and practice the application of wilderness medicine techniques.

Sample lecture topics include the following:

  • Rappelling instruction
  • Wild animal attacks
  • Venomous snake identification and snake bite management
  • Hazardous marine life
  • Dive medicine
  • Hyper- and hypothermia
  • Frostbite
  • Water decontamination/disinfection
  • High altitude medicine
  • Orthopedic injuries
  • Traveler's diarrhea

Lectures are open to anyone who simply wishes to attend, learn, and participate.

Student Elective

Each year the Wilderness Medical Society hosts an elective for medical students in the .