Wilderness EMT Upgrade (WEMT)

Wilderness EMT Upgrade

An advanced-level course designed for EMS professionals working in remote environments.

Wilderness EMT Upgrade is an advanced  5 day training designed for medical personnel who would like to enhance their skills and experience for use in rural, wilderness, and technical rescue setting. This course is geared toward to EMS providers looking to broaden their skills in remote environments. The WEMT curriculum builds on EMS training and expertise to meet the special challenges inherent in delayed access to medical care environments. It is designed for medical personnel working in EMS, search and rescue, law enforcement, disaster response, and on wilderness expeditions.

This course teaches students how to manage medical emergencies when hospitals and rescue services may not be available for an extensive time period. We prepare students to respond effectively in emergency situations that involve prolonged patient care, severe environments, and improvised equipment. This course is taught by professional instructors with significant patient care and backcountry experience.

Global Emergency Medics (GEM) and Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA)

For all medical courses, we partner with WMA. WMA has been the leader in wilderness medicine and rescue for over thirty years. The cutting- edge curriculum is constantly updated by our group of healthcare professionals, has been taught on all 7 continents, and is recognized internationally.

Prerequisites

Students must be at least 18 years of age to participate in this course.

Current EMT certification is required.

Certification Received

• Wilderness EMT (WEMT) certification
• CPR Certification (Adult CPR and AED training)

Recertification Interval

3 Years

Key Topics Covered

The WEMT curriculum includes a broad range of medical skills and topics, including patient assessment, CPR, AED, and basic life support skills. Students also learn how to effectively manage respiratory and cardiac emergencies, shock, head injuries, altered mental states, wounds and burns, infection, musculoskeletal injuries, dislocation, spinal injuries, allergic reactions, environmental emergencies such as hypothermia, lightning, and drowning, and medical emergencies such as asthma, abdominal pain, and diabetes. And so much more…

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Upcoming Dates: Coming Soon

Additional Information

Packing List

Below are the suggested items to pack. This list can vary according to the course location, weather, and season. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns specific to your course’s venue. Please be prepared for all seasonal weather conditions and bring the appropriate clothing, footwear, and gear. We will try to spend as much time as possible outside!

  • Current certification (Recert students only)
  • Notebook with pen or pencil
  • Watch
  • Clothing that may be stained or cut during simulations
  • Personal medications
  • First aid kit
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Personal hygiene products
  • Water bottle or thermos
  • Snacks
  • Headlamp

FAQs

  • The following teaching materials will be provided by GEM at no additional cost:
    • Wilderness and Rescue Medicine Textbook
    • Wilderness and Rescue Medicine Field Guide
    • Class Notes and Handouts
    • SOAP Notes
  • Course Completion and Grades:
    • Successful completion with certification is based on 100% attendance, satisfactory performance on all assigned homework and quizzes, as well as demonstrated proficiency with hands on practical skills. Students must also obtain an 80% or better on the final written exam.
  • Certification:
    • Upon successful completion, students will receive Wilderness Advance First Aid and Healthcare Provider level CPR certifications from Wilderness Medical Associates. The CPR certification is based on 2015 AHA/ILCOR guidelines. All WMA certifications are valid for three years.
  • Recertification:
    • Recertification can be earned at any time during the three years following your course. Several different recertification options exist, including the Wilderness Advanced First Aid Course, WAFA-to-WFR Bridge Course, or the Wilderness First Responder Recertification Course.
  • Registration:
    • In order to register for a course, chose your specific course, date, and location, and click “Register For Course”. You can also add your specific course to your cart through the Courses tab, or contact us at any time to register.
  • Cancellation Policy:
    • For all courses cancelled more than 60 days from course start date a full refund minus $50 registration fee.
    • For cancellations less than 60 days, but more than 4 weeks from course start date students receive a 50% refund.
    • For cancellations less than 4 weeks from course start date there is no refund.
    • COVID-19 Update: Cancellations made by either party due to restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic will allow full tuition credit to any other course sponsored by Global Emergency Medics for up to 18 months from original course date.  No refunds will be given for courses cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What to Expect

  • Be ready to learn, develop confidence, and utilize critical thinking skills in wilderness medicine.
  • Realistic emergency simulations will be staged, complete with fake wounds and injuries. Students alternate playing the role of both rescuer and patient. These sims are meant to get your adrenaline pumping; forcing you to think critically under pressure, so you can take action in a real wilderness medical emergency.
  • Course days are long and intense consisting of both classroom lectures and in the field training. Days often continue late into the evening with assigned homework. Expect to be fully immersed in wilderness medicine from day 1.
  • Upon registration, participants will receive an email outlining specific meeting times for their course.
  • 100% attendance is required.