Jungle Medicine 12 CDP credits

What WMT says

Living and working in the complex jungle environment is a great challenge. There are special medical problems associated with the heat and humidity, fauna (biting bugs, snakes and other lurkin’ furkins) and flora. Camp craft takes on an art form in the jungle; for example, navigation, lighting fires, setting up improvised shelters and more are all skills that the jungle medic must be comfortable with. This practical, hands on course is lead by experts and assumes no prior jungle experience. We take students through the most important medical skills and knowledge required for this special environment in addition to learning and practicing fundamental field skills in a real camp setting. Jungle Medicine is an informative, fun weekend course that’s more outdoors than indoors. Organisations that might “employ” expedition medics increasingly expect candidates to have done a course of this standard.

What students say

Great! Relaxed and informative style but knowledgeable too.
Both excellent. Really effective (instructors)
Thorough. Very informative and fun.
Just what I was expecting, plenty of practical stuff.
All (sessions) were very good and relevant, esp. tropical disease lectures.
Excellent.

Who’s invited?

Doctors of all grades, nurses, medical students or anyone else with an interest in jungle medicine are welcome to attend. No prior camping or expedition experience is required. Whether you are flirting with the idea of expedition work, bolstering your CV or simply want a fun, inspiring educational weekend in the woods, Jungle Medicine will satisfy your aims.

Teaching team

Jungle Medicine is taught by WMT Senior Instructor Dr Harvey Pynn (MA MCEM DMM DMCC DTM&H) and Dom Hall of Fieldskills. Combined, they have an extraordinary amount of jungle expedition experience. Harvey holds the Diploma in Mountain Medicine and the Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (DTM&H) amongst many other qualifications. Read about them in the more information download (see below). They are a highly rated double act!

What’s covered on Jungle Medicine?

This is a busy two days with loads of practical sessions, group work, lectures and discussions. We have a warm classroom base (with showers) for lectures and a wooded camping area a short walk away where we can hang hammocks, make bashas, light fires and carry out more practical instruction.

Outdoor practical sessions
Fire lighting & stoves
Expedition catering, cooking on open fires
Camping fundamentals: site selection, hygiene, field toilets
Kit selection, packing & waterproofing
The safe use of machetes
Setting up tarps & hammocks (bashas)
Jungle lost procedures & search & rescue
Water collection & purification
Improvised stretchers

Lectures include:
Flora & fauna hazards
Managing wounds in the tropics
Fever in travellers – treating malaria
The dangers of heat illness
Snake bite management
Dealing with diarhoea
Devising a jungle medical kit

CPD

We estimate that this programme is valid for approximately 12 CPD credits.

Download more information

Download this file for more information including the venue, running order of the weekend, kit advice, travel advice and instructor biographies.

RGS Expedition Health Research

A Royal Geographical Society study of 1263 medical complaints on expedition found that more than half (51%) were classified either as gastrointestinal upsets (30%) or medical problems (21% – infections, headache, malaria etc.). 8% of complaints were fauna related. Not surprisingly, 4% of problems were feet related. Orthopaedic problems accounted for 19% of complaints, closely followed by environmental problems at 14%. Even minor illnesses left untreated, such as diarrhoea, blisters or sunburn, can slow a whole team down, reduce productivity and enjoyment and threaten the success of an expedition. More serious illness or injury can derail the expedition’s plans and result in evacuation that can be difficult and protracted. There is much for the expedition medic to consider and prepare for.