The University of Tasmania has launched a unique expedition medicine course aimed at equipping medical professionals with the skills necessary to provide care in challenging wilderness environments. Experienced instructor Dave Brown returns to lead this course. It pairs instruction by medical experts with that of wilderness guides, preparing participants to navigate the complex challenges of emergencies that can occur in remote environments.
Set on the jagged peaks of Mount Cameron, the course focuses on recognizing and navigating the unique variables that affect humanitarian patient care outside of traditional healthcare settings. She explained that in the Challenges, participants are often abseiling, crossing glacial landscapes, improvising medical devices and rescue equipment. To help maintain the surprise element, the curriculum has participants avoid revealing activities until the actual course begins. This technique replicates the chaotic circumstances often encountered during real-life emergencies.
Charlie Sebastian, a paramedic from Darwin, is one of the participants. Today, he’s shining a light on what it means to be prepared for emergencies, especially in remote areas. He stated, “I think especially in the NT where we are a bit more remote and help can be a little bit further away, we rely a lot on our skills and the more skills you have, the more prepared you can be for all sorts of different situations.”
Second-time participant and Qantas pilot and diving paramedic Sean Golding agrees that the benefits of such extensive training are invaluable. His experiences in these harsh environments are valuable to his understanding of wilderness medicine.
As part of the course, participants learn techniques to safely secure themselves as well as patients during rescue operations. Kim Ladiges, a mountaineer and course instructor, leads debriefing sessions following rescue simulations to reflect on performance and improve future responses. Dr. Barter played the part of a person struck by lightning in one of the simulations. This imaginative formula provided participants the opportunity to sharpen their skills, even in a high-stakes situation.
“I was a patient the first night, so I’ve seen the chaos that they challenge you with,” – Dr. Barter
Throughout the course, participants face various simulated emergencies that test their ability to work under pressure. As Dr. Barter mentioned, some of these scenarios often come with surprising potholes.
“One of the patients simulated passing away, and then we couldn’t find the other two, unfortunately, but that’s where the learning came in.” – Dr. Barter
While the course is heavy on traditional medical training, an equal focus is placed on collaborative teamwork and working together across a wide variety of fields. Dave Brown highlighted this aspect by stating that “no one staff member would be able to run this whole course in its current form and that’s its strength.”
In addition to practical skills, participants engage in extensive discussions about their experiences and reflect on how they would approach similar situations differently in the future. Dr. Barter mentioned:
“We had a really good debrief this morning and we had some time to reflect on our performance and, yeah, we would do things a little differently next time, but that’s the opportunity the course provides.” – Dr. Barter
The recent rash of police killings reminds us why these skills are so critical. They certainly showcased the need for extreme coordination between police, paramedics, doctors, and swift-water rescuers during emergencies. Valdas Bieliauskas suffered through 22 hours corralled in cold water. His story illustrates the importance of having trained responders wherever a person may be, especially in remote, austere environments.
Dave Brown explained that while participants might not practice extraordinary medical contingencies regularly, they benefit from developing a solid framework for handling unexpected challenges.
“No-one would practise those extraordinary things that they had to do, but the framework of approach, that is very, very applicable.” – Dave Brown
By incorporating real-world scenarios into training, it helps participants feel more prepared when facing an actual emergency. As noted by Dr. Barter:
“Antarctica is obviously the most extreme, austere environment, so we need to be able to protect ourselves and then be able to get to the patient and run through a system where we’re giving medical care, but not necessarily in a clinic or with all of the equipment that we might normally have.” – Dr. Barter
This course is a reflection of a growing recognition that there is a need for specialized training in expedition medicine. By equipping professionals to cope with harsher climates and last-minute obstacles, it seeks to make a transformative impact on patient care in rural communities.
