Program schedule

Learning activities
A briefing will be carried out on Friday evening. On Saturday participants will be divided into groups for simulated emergency scenarios. Groups will alternate between these scenarios, prior to joining together again for evening debrief and feedback session.

Learning objectives
By the end of this event, participants should be able to:

• Assess and prioritise patients and injuries according to medical urgency using a structured approach.
• Manage emergency problems in a wilderness environment and generalise this to patients in other clinical situations.
• Understand the specific problems and limitations of practising medicine in a wilderness setting including transportation and evacuation needs.
• Understand working in a team and the importance of effective communication and leadership to optimise outcomes and reduce medical error.
• Deal with stress and uncertainty that occurs in unfamiliar environments.
• Appreciate the impact medical co-morbidities may have in a wilderness environment.

For each scenario, specific management of the clinical condition should be addressed as well as all of these generic points:

• Scene safety, control, leadership and teamwork
• Recognising initial need for resuscitation and managing immediate life threats
• Appropriate supportive and specific therapy
• Care of basic needs of patient and group
• Extrication, stabilisation and transport planning
• Evaluation

Medical equipment
A basic wilderness medicine kit will be provided for use during the scenarios including first aid equipment and commonly available drugs. Some protective equipment will also be available to assist in the running of the scenarios.