Wilderness Medicine Education Training

Wilderness Medicine

Wilderness Medicine Education Training

Purpose

The University of Colorado School of Medicine Wilderness & Environmental Medicine Section strives to offer educational opportunities for students to further their knowledge, skills, and experiences in wilderness medicine and to provide an introduction to the art and science of medical education.  To do so the section has established Wilderness Medicine Education Training (WildMET), a course designed to formalize and document the pedagogical training and advanced wilderness medicine learning in which students will partake.  WildMET is designed for outstanding previous Section students, as well as for experienced clinicians seeking advanced training, particularly in educational methods and practices.

Opportunities 

To take advantage of the opportunity students or clinicians can apply to WildMET for a limited number of seats, associated with an ongoing wilderness medicine class.  Each regularly scheduled wilderness medicine class will have one to four openings for WildMET students.

Students for WildMET will be accepted based on

  1. Their learning goals;
  2. The knowledge, skills, experiences, and attributes they bring to the class; and
  3. The needs of the regularly scheduled class and its students and the fit with the WildMET student(s).

Applications will be accepted on an on-going basis for upcoming classes.  Invitations to past students will be sent out in August and January.  Applications will be promptly reviewed and accepted students will be notified with a minimum of three months lead time.  Acceptance and registration is expected within a week of invitation.

Course Overview

The class will be taught in a seminar and experiential style during a regularly scheduled Section offering.  Students will meet with the WildMED instructor prior to the start of the class to review WildMED purpose and goals, WildMed student goals, regularly scheduled class goals, roles, schedule, and evaluation.   The WildMED instructor may or may not be the same individual as the regularly scheduled class instructor. 

During the regularly scheduled class WildMED student(s) will daily meet with that class’s lead instructor prior to the class start to plan the day and roles.  Student(s) and instructor will meet again at the conclusion of each day to review the day and share feedback.  WildMED students will write daily reflection pieces based on their experiences and learning. 

At the conclusion of the regularly scheduled class its lead instructor will provide a written summary sharing feedback on student learning and performance.  Based on this feedback and her or his learning and experiences, the student will write a reflection paper summarizing her or his learning and outlining future medical, wilderness medical, and/or educational goals.  The class is graded on a pass/fail basis with feedback and evaluation shared in narrative form.

Course Content

  1. Introductions
    1. Course
    2. Instructor and students
    3. Expectations
  2. Regularly Scheduled Class
    1. Goals
    2. Wilderness Medicine Content
    3. Learners
    4. Schedule
  3. Pedagogy
    1. Learning Styles
    2. Teaching Methods and Techniques
    3. Teaching Outdoors
    4. Evaluation and Feedback
  4. Class Methods
    1. Lectures
    2. Case Studies
    3. Labs
    4. Skill Demonstrations
    5. Skill Practices
    6. Scenarios
  5. Other Cosiderations
    1. Diversity
    2. Withdrawn Student
    3. Failing Student
    4. Superstar Student
  6. Advanced Wilderness Medicine Techniques
    1. Regularly Scheduled Class Techniques
    2. Teaching Tricks
    3. Advanced Techniques

Application

To apply for WildMED students should send an e-mail to the Section’s Education Director at todd.miner@ucdenver.edu. 

The e-mail should include:
1) copy of the students’ resume or CV;
2) description of what the student hopes to learn and/or gain from the class;
3) description of what the student brings to the class and how s/he will help students learn better; and
4) name of the class(es) with which the student is interested in working.

In terms of #3, what the student brings to the class, the Section particularly seeks:
1) First aid, medical skills, experiences, or certifications beyond what is being taught;
2) Significant or advanced wilderness skills;
3) Previous teaching or educational experience; and/or
4) Local knowledge/experience in programming area or culture (belay certification for summer Colorado programs, Spanish for Costa Rica, etc.).

Physical Challenge Rating (On Scale of 1-5)

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