Wilderness Medical Society
The Wilderness Medical Society was created on 15 February 1983 by three physicians from California, United States — Dr. Paul Auerbach, Dr. Ed Geehr, and Dr. Ken Kizer.[1] It provides advice and guidance to medical personnel working in wilderness or backcountry environments. It also publishes Wilderness & Environmental Medicine Journal,[2][3] Wilderness Medicine Magazine,[4][4] and Practice Guidelines for Wilderness Emergency Care.[5]
Academy of Wilderness Medicine

The academy seeks to provide a system of adult education and certification in a modern and standardised way to provide a set level of knowledge and education for practitioners working in the wilderness arena.[6][7]
The goals of the academy are to:[8]
- Professional designation for achievement in Wilderness Medicine
- Validation for the public, patients, and clients of practitioner education in Wilderness Medicine
- Recognition for completing high quality standards in Wilderness Medicine
- Continuing medical education (CME) credit for acquisition of knowledge and hands-on experiences in Wilderness Medicine
- The advancement of an internationally recognized curriculum of Wilderness Medicine categories, topics, and skills
The Academy also maintains the curriculum for the Fellowship award. This curriculum is completed over a maximum of a 5-year period and culminates in the award of Fellow being bestowed at the Society's annual conference. The award of the Fellowship allows the holder to use the post-nominal letters FAWM—Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. The Academy also bestows a Master Fellow designation.
FAWM curriculum


The curriculum for participants wishing to gain fellowship is modular and is divided into Electives, Required Topics and Experience:[9]
Required/Core Topics are divided into twelve sub-headings:[10]
- Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine
- Tropical and Travel Medicine
- High Altitude[11] & Mountaineering Medicine
- Expedition Medicine
- Field Craft and Equipment
- Rescue and Evacuation
- Sports Medicine and Physiology
- Preventive Medicine, Field Sanitation & Hygiene
- General Environmental Medicine
- Improvised and Alternative Medicine
- Disaster & Humanitarian Assistance
- Wilderness Emergencies and Trauma Management
FAWM credits can be gained in a number of ways such as:
- Attending WMS conferences
- Completing online tests after reading journal articles
- Watching online lectures
- Publishing articles
- Teaching in the area of Wilderness Medicine
Activities
The Wilderness Medical Society organize annual conferences and meetings for members and interested parties.[12][13][14]
Notable Fellows
- Dr. Paul Auerbach - Founder and past president of the WMS.
- Dr. Sean Hudson - One of the first holders of the FAWM in England.[15]
- Dr. Clayton Everline - FAWM and Author of "Surf Survival" and Sports Medicine doctor for Straub Clinic and Hospital [16]
- Aebhric O'Kelly - College of Remote and Offshore Medicine[17]
- Dr. Seth C. Hawkins - First physician ever designated a Master Fellow;[18] author of Wilderness EMS; executive editor of Wilderness Medicine Magazine
Affiliated groups
- Expedition and Wilderness Medicine[20]
- Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS)[21]
- Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS[22]
- American College of Emergency Physicians - Wilderness Section[23]
- International Hypoxia Symposia
- Everest ER[24]
- Institute for Altitude Medicine[25]
- Wilderness Medical Associates
- EcoMed[26]
- Wilderness Medicine Programs - Roane State Community College
- Mountain & Marine Medicine
- Waves of Health[27]
- Argentine Mountain Medicine Society[28]
- WildMedix[29]
References
- Barry, Jonna; Erb, Blair. "WMS Footprints: past, present, and future". Wilderness Medical Society. Archived from the original on 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- "WMS - Main Page". 22 April 2006. Archived from the original on 22 April 2006.
- "Student BMJ: The International Medical Journal for Students". Archive.student.bmj.com. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Wilderness Medicine Magazine". Wildernessmedicinemagazine.com. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for Wilderness Emergency Care. ASIN 0762741023.
- "Expedition Medicine - Wilderness Medical Society". Expeditionmedicine.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Wilderness Medical Society". Wms.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Wilderness Medical Society". Wms.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Becoming a Fellow..." Wilderness Medical Society. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
- "FAWM Required Topics". Wilderness Medical Society. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
- Askew, E. Wayne. "Nutrition at High Altitude". Wilderness Medical Society. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
- "2009 Wilderness Medical Society Medical Conference and Annual Meeting in Snowmass". Healthline.com. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "WMS CME Conferences". Wms.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- (PDF) http://wms.org/conferences/Snowmass09/brochure.pdf. Retrieved June 14, 2009. Missing or empty
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(help) - Expedition & Wilderness Remote Medicine Courses accredited Wilderness Medicine Society. "Expedition & Wilderness Remote Medicine, the home of wilderness and remote medicine for medical professionals". Expeditionmedicine.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Waves of Health and EverlineMD.com". everlinemd. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "CoROM – The College of Remote and Offshore Medicine Foundation". corom.org.
- "The Masters: Master Fellows of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine". wms.org/magazine. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- "Wilderness Medicine Educational Events". Wms.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Expedition Medicine - Wilderness Medical Society". Expeditionmedicine.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Wilderness Medicine CME \- Advanced Wilderness Life Support". Awls.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute". Nols.edu. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Wilderness Medicine Section". Acep.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Everest ER - Himalayan Rescue Association". Everester.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- Archived April 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- "Home Ecomed". Ecomed.org.ar. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Waves of Health website". Wavesofhealth.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "Google Translate". Samm.org.ar. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- "WildMedix website". WildMedix.com. Retrieved 15 January 2016.