Personal experience teaching Wilderness Medicine in the Galapagos with MedTreks.

Written by Sarah Sarfaty, AEMT, FAWM, (faculty for the WLS:MP course this past December on the MedTreks Galapagos Yacht Cruise)

I have known for a while that airplanes are my time to be emotional. There’s something very definitive about taking off and landing that I don’t think I get with any other type of travel. A finality that, once the plane has taken off, there is no turning back. It marks an end and a beginning, regardless of where I’m traveling. 

I’m writing this as the plane takes off in San Cristobal, the capital city in the Galapagos. I’ve gotten to spend about two weeks here, living on a boat and exploring the islands. There are 13 main islands and hundreds of smaller land formations that don’t quite fit the size definition. They have a massive variety of climate, wildlife, fauna, and marine interests despite their close proximity. Darwin spent about five weeks here and I can see how he walked (floated?) away with a possible answer on how the universe worked. It’s not like anywhere else I’ve ever been and I have in fact been to a variety of places. 

On this trip, I’ve had the phenomenal experience of being faculty for the WLS course. If you’re a medical professional who wants to apply your existing skills to an out-of-hospital environment, then this is the course for you. The students of this trip were made up primarily on the PA/MD variety with some others (RN, Paramedics, etc.) sprinkled in. Most had little direct wilderness experience, although this was a sliding scale of solo backpacking to city living. 

I’ve been teaching this course for a couple years now. I have a background as a professional guide who witnessed the importance of medical education for long enough to go get it myself. My first WLS was back in 2020 and now I get to be a part of it from the other side. 

What makes the Galapagos so special…

What makes the Galapagos so special is the feeling of connection to the natural world. I can’t list all the flora and fauna I’ve seen up close and personal. The raw power of the islands themselves is present with volcanic formations, upwellings, and the ocean speaks for itself.

So alongside this fantastic backdrop with an experienced naturalist and crew, I got to share my passion for wilderness medicine. 

Teaching

During our splinting portion of the class, held on the sun deck of the yacht we called home, the captain came and joined us. He mentioned that this was his responsibility for his crew and was interested in our techniques. We left our splints behind for him and his team. 

Most of our scenarios took place on the beach or the volcanic rocks. Rolling patients in the sand, worrying about bumpy terrain, having lava herons watch our progress, the connection to the natural world was ever present. Afterwards, debriefing over hot tea and fresh juice, we took these lessons and applied them to the rest of the world. 

Traditional medicine is often sterile, serious, and formulaic. A teacher once told me that wilderness medicine is the art of possibility. And I believe I was able to shift the framework for my students from an algorithm to the improvisation required for an environment as out there as the Galapagos. CME is required for licensure and certification, but the life changing lessons are an optional component I’m not sure many get to enjoy. I feel so much gratitude that I get to experience this myself and hopefully facilitate it for others. 

And as I facilitated wilderness medicine, MedTreks facilitated the adventure. Ari, the owner, founder, faculty herself, author of global and travel medicine curriculum, PA, and all around fantastic person, was present on the trip. She assisted me in teaching and making sure everyone was safe and well cared for. The paradigm of wilderness and luxury was phenomenal. We’d get down and dirty in the sand then shower it all off on the yacht. This was all thanks to Ari’s meticulous planning and singular vision on what makes a trip once-in-a-lifetime. 

Reflections

I’ve taught a lot of people in a lot of places from a lot of backgrounds. This trip, and the people on it, will stick out to me for a long time. Thank you to MedTreks for the invite, the students for coming out to learn, and to the Galapagos for this experience. It’s not one I’ll soon forget.

Thanks for reading Wilderness Medicine in the Galapagos with MedTreks!