What is Wilderness Medicine?
Wilderness Medical Associates courses address three problems not covered in traditional EMT and Emergency Response courses: (1) Extended Patient Management; when hours or days stand between a patient and the hospital, phases of patient care that usually occur in an emergency room must be carried out in the field. Rescuers need to be prepared for this challenge, under conditions far removed from the ideal hospital setting. (2) Extreme Environments; extremes of heat, cold and altitude can pose serious problems of their own. Hypothermia and frostbite, for example, may complicate a trauma victim's condition and will also pose a risk to rescuers. The simplest tasks become difficult when the environment is hostile, potentially causing both assessment and treatment to suffer. (3) Limited Equipment; the more remote the setting, the less equipment will be initially available. Improvisation is an essential skill in the wilderness setting.

Why are your courses so Expensive?
We acknowledge that our courses are expensive compared with First Aid and EMT courses, however, they are quite reasonable compared with other high quality seminars. It is not cheap to maintain a top-notch instructor staff, a Quality Assurance standard second to none, and a research and development program devoted to continual improvement in curriculum and materials.

What certification materials will I receive?
Graduates receive a certification card, patch, and pin at the level of the corresponding training, as well as certification in the use of injectable epinephrine for anaphylaxis, and on most courses, CPR certification is included. Wilderness Medical Associates maintains permanent records of all courses, so you or an employer may call us any time to obtain verification of certification by mail or FAX, or immediate replacement of certification cards at no additional charge.

How long does certification last?
Three years. Wilderness Medical Associates WEMT and WFR graduates may take a 16 hour recertification course, a 36 hour Wilderness Advanced First Aid Course or Bridge Course, or the 27 hour Challenge/Recertification Course. WMA WAFA graduates may recertify via a 16 hour Recertification Course, or via the 27 hour Challenge/Recertification course. (Alternatively, the WAFA can be upgraded to the level of WFR via the ‘Bridge Course’.) Once certification has expired, students must take the full course over again. We recommend a full course at least once every six years.

I need to recertify my current WAFA, WFR, or WEMT module. What are my options? To ensure that you are eligible for recertification, download the document entitled Recertification Answer Sheet. If you have further questions, contact Wilderness Medical Associates at 207.797.6005. WMA-certified WEMT or WFR’s may recertify by way of a Challenge Course, Wilderness Advanced First Aid, Bridge Course, or a Recertification Course. WMA WAFA grads may recertify by way of a Challenge Course or Recertification Course. Graduates of all other programs may recertify via the Recertification/Challenge Course (click here for course description). Verification of training is required.

What is the best course for an outdoor leader, the WFR or the WEMT?
We recommend the Wilderness First Responder course to outdoor leaders for two reasons. First, the WFR focuses mainly on medical improvisation using expedition materials such as backpack frames, and ski poles. The Wilderness EMT devotes more time to field use of high-tech gear such as remote ventilation and IV pressure infusion systems. Second, outdoor leaders tend to be a nomadic lot and EMT reciprocity requirements differ dramatically from state to state.

Doesn't advanced medical training put me more at risk of getting sued?
An outdoor professional or EMS provider who actively seeks out the most appropriate education available and who gains the confidence to use the knowledge and skills in a prudent manner is better protected against medical liability than a rescuer who avoids such training.