Costa Rica Medical Student Elective in Wilderness Medicine + AWLS Certification

MEDICAL STUDENT ELECTIVE COURSE IN WILDERNESS MEDICINE
Earn Advanced Wilderness Life Support Certification and 20 CMEs

Costa Rica
June 12-18, 2017

OVERVIEW

What: A weeklong wilderness medicine class held along Costa Rica’s stunning Pacific Coast.  Learn wilderness and austere medicine skills in a real-world, tropical jungle setting, taught by University of Colorado School of Medicine faculty.  Earn optional Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS) certification. Experience jungle hikes, tree top canopy tours and zip line, night walks, natural history tours, whitewater paddling, and optional surfing or surf lessons.  All costs from San Jose covered, including local transport, shared lodging, meals, adventure tours, instruction, and group gear.  No experience necessary.

When: June 12-18, 2017

Who: Focused on first year medical students, but also open to second to fourth year students, residents, as well as any other health professional (physicians, nurses, PAs, EMTs, etc.) looking to earn AWLS certification and 20 CMEs.

Where: Hacienda Baru (www.haciendabaru.com) a rustic eco-lodge with its own Pacific beach, near Dominical, south of Manuel Antonio NP.

Why: Get out of the lecture hall and practice hands-on clinical skills. Enhance assessment and patient care. Learn real world medical skills and concepts in a fun and collegial atmosphere.  Develop outdoor expertise and experience a beautiful wilderness environment. Earn optional AWLS certification. Sample of skills learned: Improvised litters, spine clearance, swift water rescue, dislocation reductions, splinting, hypo-wraps, survival, water procurement, search and rescue, etc.

Cost: $1150 before January 31, 2017 ($250 extra with AWLS Certification), $1250 after January 31, 2017 ($250 extra with AWLS certification)

• Ground transportation from San Jose
• Shared lodging at Hacienda Baru Eco-lodge
• All meals and food

• Adventure activities – tree-top canopy tours, zip line, night hikes, jungle natural history, white water rafting, and optional surfing or surfing lessons
• AWLS Certification and 20 CMEs

This week-long expedition will focus on wilderness medical and survival issues, with an emphasis on tropical medicine.  Topics include hyperthermia, infectious diseases, drowning, trauma, musculoskeletal soft tissue issues, dislocations/fractures, wild animal attacks, zoonosis, SAR, and much more.

Earn optional Advanced Wilderness Life Support certification and 20 CMEs.  In addition to focusing on wilderness medicine, participants will also learn whitewater safety and paddling skills, knot tying, and tropical natural history.

The class starts and ends at the San Jose, Costa Rica airport.  From there we’ll take a chartered bus to Hacienda Baru, a rustic eco-lodge which boasts its own Pacific beach, miles of trails, zip lines, a small restaurant/bar, and a delightful pool.  We’ll spend mornings and evenings in class, leaving most afternoons free for swimming, surfing, hiking, studying, or just hanging out.  In addition to medical classes we’ll enjoy a tree top canopy tour and zip line, night hikes, a natural history tour, and whitewater rafting

Ground transportation, shared lodging, meals, and adventure activities provided.  Participants are responsible for transportation to San Jose, alcohol, personal clothing, and optional AWLS certification costs and surf lessons and/or board rental. Enrollment is limited to 14 participants to allow for optimal small group learning, authentic wilderness experiences, and efficient travel and logistics.

The University of Colorado School of Medicine does not offer academic credit for this class.