Advanced Wilderness Life Support course

I just got back from DeSoto State Park in Alabama where I took a course called Advanced Wilderness Life Support. It is accredited through the Wilderness Medical Society and was hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham Emergency Medicine Department. For those interested in Wilderness Medicine, Dr. Beth Phillips is the director of Wilderness Medicine Education at UAB. It was a three day course consisting of lectures, case discussions, and hands-on training workshops. I liked how no matter one's level of training, everyone was learning and working through the cases presented. There were medical students, residents, fellows, attending physicians, nurses, EMTs, and some non-medical participants. If anyone is interested in finding more information about AWLS check out their web-site or ask me. Hope your summer is a blast!

Edit: this picture was definitely not taken in Alabama

May WMIG Meeting

We are honored to be joined again by Dr. Greg Davis from the Department of Pathology. We invited him back after his great talk about hypothermia at our February meeting. This month, he will be discussing two topics: the psychological effects of search and rescue on the rescuer and the victim, and hyperthermia. He will also have a Q&A session, so come with questions about wilderness medicine! As usual, lunch is provided. You may want to bring a drink.

Please RSVP by Tuesday (May 19) to Stacey Gutman at slgutm2@uky.edu .

Who: Dr. Greg Davis, Department of Pathology
What: psychological effects of a rescue / hyperthermia
When: Thursday, May 21st at noon
Where: MN-263

An Adventure Race for Medical Professionals!

I came across this website for a very cool looking adventure race series called MedWAR.
http://www.medwar.org/index.htm

As far as I can tell it operates like a regular adventure race with teams that run, bike, canoe, and navigate between waypoints. The only difference is at the checkpoints there are various medical emergency senarios that must be dealt with before moving on. It sounds like something we should definitely check out. The next race "near" us is in Michigan in October.

Pics from Ocoee Rafting Trip

Enjoy some pics from our latest adventure:
Also here is a link to some more pics from my Facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2080006&id=7200771

WMIG April Meeting

Erik Weihenmayer was the first blind person to summit Everest in 2001. He completed the Seven Summits (highest peak on each continent) in 2002. He is also a skydiver, marathon runner, and bike rider. He lives life without limitations.

Dr. Lance Ferguson from Commonwealth Eye Surgery will be joining us on Friday, April 10th to discuss eye injuries and other conditions that may occur while in the backcountry. He is an ophthalmologist and on the board of directors of the Wilderness Medical Society.

Please RSVP to Stacey Gutman slgutm2@uky.edu by Tuesday, 4/7.

Lunch will be provided; you may want to bring a drink.

Who: Dr. Lance Ferguson, Ophthalmologist

What: Eye injuries / conditions in the backcountry

When: Friday, April 10th at noon

Where: MN-363

Whitewater & Workshop!

The WMIG is headed down to the Ocoee River in TN on Saturday, April 4th.  We will be spending a half-day rafting down a scenic strech of river with 17 class III-IV rapids!  We are meeting at Quest Expeditions at 10:45am and will be returning at 2:15pm. After the rafting, Dr. Dillman (from the Seneca Lakes Family Medicine Residency Program in SC) is leading a field workshop on water-borne pathogens and water purification.  Most of us are heading down to car camp at the Chilhowee campgrounds in Cherokee National Forest on Friday afternoon.  It is a 4.5 hour drive and folks are planning on carpooling.  If Friday does not work for you, feel free to come down on Sat morning just for the rafting and workshop.    

Cost for the rafting is only $27, with all necessary equipment provided by Quest Expeditions (our guide outfit).  The workshop is free for WMIG members, $10 for non-members (or pay $20 dues and become part of the coolest club in med school)

View Larger Map

Contact: Send and email to jake.kissel@gmail.com if you have any questions or need a ride.  

Wilderness First Aid Course April 25-26th!

Dr. Bowers (our faculty advisor) passed along a great opportunity from the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine.  The PCSOM Emergency Medicine Club is sponsoring a Wilderness First Aid course on April 25th and 26th for $110 (a bargin by national standards).

The couse is being led by SOLO www.soloschools.com.  Email Tyler Vogt at vogtl@pc.edu if you are interested!