Wilderness Medicine

Desert Mountain Medicine, est. 1998

Wilderness First Responder (WFR): The WFR course is the standard level of medical training for professional outdoor recreation industry field staff that work multi-day, overnight trips in remote environments, military, technical rescue personnel, and those working in disaster relief. Our comprehensive, contextual and practical curriculum has gained popularity among outdoor  enthusiasts, endurance athletes, and adventure travelers who push their boundaries in remote areas with limited resources, unreliable communication, and the potential for delayed or self rescue. 


Wilderness First Aid (WFA): This course is designed for the outdoor enthusiast, trip leader, raft guide, or land agency field staff who want more than what an urban first aid course provides. The WFA is a great introduction to wilderness medicine and  basic life support skills. This training focuses on prevention, assessment, and treatment of environmental illness, recognizing and stabilizing life threats caused by trauma, and calling for a rescue in the event of a wilderness emergency. 

Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder Refund Policy

Interested in scheduling a separate Wilderness First Aid course for your group? Please reach out to Rae Pickens (hannahpickens@arizona.edu) at least 2 months in advance with the following information: 

  • Your group size (minimum 6, maximum 14)
  • 3 prospective dates that would work well for your group
    • Wilderness First Aid courses take 2 consecutive days from 8am-5pm
    • Weekdays are preferable. Weekend courses must be scheduled at least 6 months out
  • Any other accommodations or pertinent information