Devon-based World Extreme Medicine is venturing to the icy Southern Alps of New Zealand for its action-packed polar medicine course between the 22 and 27 July 2018. Winter falls from June to August in Queenstown with temperatures similar to polar conditions, creating the perfect opportunity for medical professionals to experience a genuine polar environment and understand first-hand how dangerous the location can be.
provides wilderness and remote medical training by offering courses ranging from mountain and pre-hospital care, to desert and ocean medicine taking place in many exotic locations. Recent courses have explored Nepal, Slovenia, Costa Rica and the Italian Alps with medical professionals receiving the hands-on training that is imperative to providing a high level of care, despite challenging circumstances.
There are many perils associated with cold environments. On the first day of the expedition, participants will be talked through the basic concepts of polar medicine before being thrown into the action on day two, mastering snowmobiling, dog sledding and skiing.
The course is packed with ways to overcome hypothermia, cold water immersion, avalanche basics, glacier travel, steep ground rescue and altitude medicine. On the final day of the course, participants will take part in various scenarios to use the skills they have learnt.
The course costs $3,425 NZD and includes all accommodation, meals and safety equipment needed for the duration of the expedition. A kit list can be downloaded from the with a detailed break-down of all the equipment partakers will need to bring.
As with all World Extreme Medicine courses, the faculty behind the development of this course are experts in their fields. For this expedition, the faculty is made up of polar and high-altitude specialists, sharing knowledge from polar expeditions all over the world in some of the most remote locations imaginable.
The course accreditation will be offered through the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and those participating will come away with a thorough, practical-based set of skills which can be implemented in similar extreme situations later on. The training will be extensively practical with some aspects being taught through lectures and workshops.
Mark Hannaford, CEO and founder of World Extreme Medicine said, “I believe we are providing a fantastic opportunity for medical professionals to immerse themselves in a challenging environment but also to familiarise themselves in a cold climate.
“A polar setting is dramatically different from anywhere else on earth, so I think this course is vital to guaranteeing the safety of anyone planning to embark on their own icy excursion.”
As well as the many courses offered by World Extreme Medicine, they will also be hosting a three-day conference at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh to bring together medical professionals from all over the globe. The conference promotes the sharing of knowledge regarding medical practices in some of most extreme environments and helps to advance the effectiveness of remote medicine. The conference runs from Friday November 23 to Sunday November 25 2018 at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK and the organisers have already announced speakers for the event.
Tickets for the polar medicine course are available through the .
