Course outline & key info
Taught by expedition doctors, Advanced Medicine – a gold standard – is WMT’s most comprehensive Explorer course for laypeople. This intensive 4-day syllabus covers injury and illness management and the safe and legal use of prescription only medicines (POMs) in addition to specialised invasive training including stapling wounds, giving intramuscular injections and administering subcutaneous fluids. Other training includes; advanced fracture management, injecting local anaesthetic, reconstituting drugs, handling “sharps” and outdoor moulage/scenario training. (Note that Advanced Medicine is our Far From Help 2 day course + Far From Help Part 2.) The aim of Advanced Medicine is to build confidence and achieve a thorough grounding in providing advanced care in all remote environments to patients who are injured and ill. 2-year certification. No pre-requisite to attend. A demanding course with a final written exam.
Course Dates Details Advanced Medicine
Advanced Medicine is GOLD standard training to manage illness & injury conditions including the use of selected POMs (prescription only medicines) and invasive techniques (injections, stapling wounds, sub-cut fluids). Book Course - £720 Deposit - £350
Delegate feedback
Every single session was extremely useful, but the practical sessions were absolutely great!
Very, very, very good. All excellent. (about WMT instructors)
Fantastic course!
Very experienced advice and all content just right.
Brilliant!
…sometimes you come across people who are delivering a service or a product that is so good, so well designed and delivered, and so far ahead of the competition that they’re really operating in their own self-created realm of excellence.
Read this student blog post
Target audience
Excellent training by doctors + a comprehensive field manual + POM authorisation = one stop shopping for the solo traveller, families, private teams, leaders, large expedition teams and others. Advanced Medicine has been attended by hundreds of professional and amateur explorers (for example: geologists, teachers, film/TV pros, climbers, university researchers) seeking autonomy over their health and well being during remote travels.
Prescription medicines & accreditation
Advanced Medicine training covers what medical supplies to take and enables you to obtain them for 2 years post-course through WMT’s pharmacy partner so you can add antibiotics, high altitude medicines, strong pain killers, Penthrox and other useful injectable medicines to your medical kit such as adrenaline vials, Stemetil, dexamethasone, lignocaine and more.
WMT issues a certificate which is valid for 2 years and accepted by most, if not all, UK NGB awards.
Outline content
Advanced Medicine is run as two back to back 2-day course modules over 4 days – the first 2 days are Far From Help and the final 2 is FFH Part 2/Advanced Refresher. The course includes:
Introductions & aims of the course
Legal issues
Measuring vital signs (oxygen saturation, blood pressure, pulse, breathing)
Practical sessions:
• ABC approach to the injured casualty
• Latest CPR / basic life support (BLS) guidelines
• moving / lifting / straightening an injured casualty
Expedition medical planning
Diagnosis – how to take a patient history
Practical sessions:
• history taking
• examining ENT (ear, nose, throat) & eyes
Nursing care
Common medical conditions – diarrhoea, asthma, blisters, bites
Case based discussions:
• heat illness
• cold and frostbite injuries
• altitude sickness – use of acetazolamide/dexamethasone/nifedipine
Important illnesses
• approach to chest pain
• abdominal problems (appendicitis, hernias, testicular problems)
Pain management – use of intramuscular Tramadol & Penthrox
Anaphylactic shock – use of adrenaline autoinjectors
Head injuries
Case based discussions
• Asthma – spacer use, ventolin regimes
• Fever – including malaria and rapid diagnostic test kits
Safe handling of “sharps” (dirty needles)
Intramuscular injections – practical
Reconstitution of drugs
Advanced wound management:
• injecting local anaesthetic
• stapling wounds
• use of Steristrips & skin glue
Giving subcutaneous fluids
Advanced fracture and dislocation management
Practical sessions:
• the broken pelvis – use of pelvic binder
• the broken thigh bone (femur) – use of Kendrick traction device
Practical sessions:
• vehicle extrication & RTA scene safety
• triage & moulages (accident scenarios)
Advanced medical kits and supplies
Written exam (pass mark of 70%)
Final questions / certificates / feedback & farewell
Note: many of the skills taught, and the use of prescription-only-medicines (POMs) and injections especially, are not appropriate for use in the UK or anywhere if professional medical support is readily available. It is recommended practice for laypeople to seek professional medical advice whenever possible before giving prescription medications to a patient in the field.
Downloads & pre-reading
Updated guidance for medical provision for wilderness medicine 2019
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