Skip to content

WFA Curriculum & Logistics

The WFA curriculum is meticulously structured to provide the most critical, high-yield skills for managing common wilderness emergencies. The focus is on practical knowledge that you can confidently apply in the field.


Core Skills & Topics Covered:

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to wilderness medicine, including:

The Patient Assessment System: A systematic and reliable method for evaluating a patient in any environment to identify and prioritize injuries and illnesses.

Traumatic Injuries: Hands-on training for managing shock, head injuries, and potential spinal injuries, including techniques for splinting and stabilization.

Wound and Infection Management: Best practices for cleaning, closing, and dressing wounds to prevent infection when definitive care is hours away.

Environmental Emergencies: How to recognize, prevent, and treat a full range of environmental issues, including:

    • Heat-related illnesses (heat exhaustion, heat stroke).
    • Cold-related injuries (hypothermia, frostbite).
    • Responses to lightning strikes, altitude illness, immersion, and submersion.

Common Medical Problems: Protocols for addressing common but serious issues like respiratory and cardiac emergencies, severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), abdominal pain, and altered mental states.

Lifting & Moving Patients: Proven techniques for safely moving a patient to protect both them and the rescue team from further injury.

Legal & Ethical Considerations: A clear overview of your role, responsibilities, and the legal aspects of providing care in a wilderness context.

 

Course Details

Pre Requisites:

  • 18+ years or older.
  • Copy of Government Issued photo ID

Duration: 2 days in-person training. Typical course schedule is 8am - 5pm

Text Books (provided): Remote Medical Training WFA Student Manual

Grades: This is a pass/fail course based on attendance, and passing of required assessments.

Attendance: Students may miss up to 10% of the total course hours with an excused absence and should be clearly communicated with the Lead instructor prior to missing class.

Students completing this course will receive:

  • Remote Medical Training course completion certificate for Remote First Aid
  • Remote Medical Training course completion certificate for basic CPR/AED.
  • Remote Medical Training course completion certificate for training that meets the USCG requirements for Elementary First Aid

Follow us @remotemedicaltraining