86112 - Expedition Medicine Course

These eight day intensive and practical residential courses are now being offered by the University of Tasmania in partnership with the Australian Antarctic Division and TasTAFE as stand-alone courses or as an elective unit as part of the Remote and Polar Health stream of our Master of Public Health program. 
Winter and Summer Skills courses provide both theoretical and practical coverage of the following topics: 
• Pre-expedition planning and medical kits 
• Wilderness emergency medical response 
• Search and rescue 
• Steep terrain rescue 
• Use of stretchers and splints 
• Leadership and teamwork 
• Remote area communications 
• Navigation and environmental medicine (cold injury, high altitude medicine and avalanche burial and rescue) 

Relevance to General Practice

Through the instigation of general practice programs related to rural and remote medicine, Expedition and Wilderness Medicine is evolving as a specialisation practiced by many General Practitioners. This intensive course provides a pathway into more extensive study and as a stand alone course, provides practitioners working in the field or those aspiring to do so with a sound practical and knowledge base to support their practice.

Learning outcomes

• Demonstrate a systematic approach to the medical aspects of expedition planning, including the design of medical kits.
• Apply the established Accident Management Plan for emergencies in wilderness areas alongside demonstrating a systematic approach to Search and Rescue.
• Display an understanding of principles of leadership, followership and team-working in emergency situations
• Describe the pathophysiology, prevention and treatment of high altitude medical problems alongside the prevention and treatment of cold induced injuries
• Effectively manage medical emergencies commonly encountered in a wilderness setting, specifically asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes, fractures and dislocations