By: Madison Chukwudi
Revised by: Maya Adam
This specialty of medicine deserves recognition for its astonishing efforts. They contribute to the medical field by helping people who need healthcare but do not have access to it. To become one, doctors must go through emergency medicine residency, and then go onto a fellowship program to achieve this status. The program is only one year, but to get into it different qualifications need to be fulfilled. A letter of recommendation, emergency medicine certification, and prior clinical and research experience are needed. The training gives physicians entail on what to do in numerous situations and it also helps teach doctors who want to enter the academic setting. Furthermore, wilderness medicine has a variety of choices when it comes to employment. According to the EMRA Fellowship Guide, 3rd edition “…others volunteer as medical officers for disaster relief efforts on the local, national, and international scale. Wilderness-medicine-trained physicians provide medical care at races and ultramarathons, and on expeditions.” Their efforts extend to not only calamity-impacted places but also to other locations of their choosing. Their jobs are very important and save many lives because people may need urgent care instantly, but might not be able to hold out long enough for an ambulance to come. Their attendance at even a sports event can help many people in the long run. Moreover, many different subspecialties can be pursued in wilderness medicine. These specialties include sports medicine, aerospace medicine, envenomation, travel medicine, etc. Sports medicine refers to the treatment of athletes, in which the doctor treats different injuries the person has obtained and helps guide them to lower the prevention of further harm. Aerospace medicine consists of the doctor helping people who typically go above, whether it is in the air or space, and making sure they remain healthy. Envenomation is when the doctor deals with venomous attacks that are inflicted on people. Lastly, just like the name, travel medicine helps people who are traveling to stay safe and healthy, the doctors give insight to people on different diseases depending on the location they're going to. The wilderness medicine landscape is very broad when it comes to different opportunities. In brief, similar to all medical careers, wilderness medicine plays an important role in saving the lives of people. Without them, the stakes of survival for many people who are in unfortunate circumstances can be very slim. Their experiences and skills are beneficial for protecting and rescuing lives.
WORKS CITED
Mullenix, Todd. “The History of Wilderness Medicine and Why That Even Matters - National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education.” National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education, 18 July 2024, ncoae.org/blog/the-history-of-wilderness-medicine-and-why-that-even-matters/.
“Wilderness Medicine Fellowship.” www.emra.org/books/fellowship-guide-book/30-wilderness-medicine-fellowship.
“ASMA | Aerospace Medical Association.” www.asma.org/about-asma/careers/aerospace-medicine.
“Understanding Sports Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide.” Seaver.pepperdine.edu, 5 Sept. 2023, seaver.pepperdine.edu/blog/posts/understanding-sports-medicine-a-comprehensive-guide.htm.
Rabinowitz, Peter M., and Lisa A. Conti. “Infectious Disease Scenarios.” Elsevier EBooks, Elsevier BV, Jan. 2010, pp. 299–330, https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-1-4160-6837-2.00010-5.
Reno, Nevada,. “Wilderness Medicine Program Director Leads a Life of Adventure.” University of Nevada, Reno, 16 Apr. 2024, www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2024/wilderness-medicine. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
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