Wilderness Medicine Instructor Course
International Wilderness Life Support
If you love wilderness medicine and want to become a more confident teacher, this course was built for you.
The MedTreks Wilderness Medicine Instructor Course is a 4.5-day training for clinicians, EMS providers, outdoor educators, and future wilderness medicine faculty who want to strengthen their teaching, scenario design, leadership, and facilitation skills in wilderness and remote medicine settings.
Held in Ashland, Oregon, this small-group course blends practical teaching strategies, public speaking, peer feedback, moulage, and field-based scenarios. Participants work closely with experienced MedTreks faculty and have the option to earn up to 10 hours of Category 1 CME in Wilderness Medicine.
What Makes This Course Different?
Strong wilderness medicine instructors do more than understand the material. They know how to communicate clearly, adapt to changing environments, support different learning styles, and create scenarios that feel practical and memorable.
This course is designed to help you:
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Strengthen your teaching and public speaking skills.
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Learn how to design and lead impactful wilderness medicine scenarios.
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Practice delivering engaging, evidence-based lectures in both classroom and outdoor settings.
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Gain the confidence to teach in front of peers, colleagues, and diverse audiences.
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Position yourself for future opportunities as a wilderness medicine faculty member, expedition leader, or CME presenter.
- Earn up to 10 hrs of category 1 CME in Wilderness Medicine
By the end of the course, you’ll leave with practical teaching tools, more confidence presenting in front of a group, a stronger understanding of scenario-based education, and a network of colleagues and mentors who share your interest in wilderness medicine and outdoor learning.
What You Will Learn
Through lectures, hands-on practice, moulage training, and scenario facilitation, you’ll build both the hard skills and soft skills needed to be an effective instructor in wilderness and remote medicine.
By the end of this course, you will have:
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Mastered techniques for confident, engaging public speaking.
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Improved your ability to create effective PowerPoint/Keynote presentations.
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Learned how to design and stage realistic wilderness medicine scenarios.
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Practiced moulage techniques to simulate injuries and illness.
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Strengthened your ability to give and receive constructive feedback.
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Experienced leading group discussions and breakout teaching sessions.
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Developed adaptability for teaching in unpredictable, outdoor environments.
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Learned how to debrief scenarios in ways that maximize student learning.
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Built stronger leadership and facilitation skills for group dynamics.
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Created a portfolio of teaching materials and presentations you can use in future courses.
This 4.5-day wilderness medicine instructor course combines classroom learning, hands-on practice, peer teaching, video review, moulage training, and field-based scenarios.
The small-group format allows for individualized faculty coaching, practical feedback, and multiple opportunities to practice teaching in front of peers.
Participants will design and facilitate wilderness medicine scenarios, practice presentation skills, receive structured feedback, and complete a final teaching practicum.
Curriculum Foundation
MedTreks brings its experience in instructor training, expedition medicine, and outdoor education to help participants learn how to teach wilderness medicine clearly and confidently. This course focuses on both the medical content and the teaching skills needed to lead effective wilderness medicine education for a variety of learners.
New to International Wilderness Life Support? Read Ari’s reflection on why MedTreks created IWLS and how the course connects wilderness medicine, global health, and practical care in remote or resource-limited settings.
What Participants Say
“The course was very well organized and taught. Sarah and Sheryl did an amazing job teaching the course. I am glad we were a small group and got to know everyone. The IWLS module was compact and informative. I left the course feeling confident that I can implement these techniques in my teaching and become a more effective instructor. Thank you for providing such a meaningful platform for wilderness medicine education.”
– T.L., Pediatric Emergency Physician, Wilderness Medicine Instructor Course, 2026
Your Instructors
Sheryl Olson, RN
Sarah Sarfarty, AEMT, FAWM, WFR
Ari Rasori, NP
The MedTreks Wilderness Medicine Instructor Course takes place in Ashland, Oregon, a walkable mountain town in Southern Oregon located about 20 minutes from Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport.
Ashland is a practical setting for wilderness medicine instructor training because it offers both classroom space and easy access to rivers, forests, mountain trails, and outdoor teaching environments. Indoor sessions are held near Ashland’s downtown shops, cafés, and restaurants, while outdoor workshops and wilderness medicine scenarios take place in the surrounding landscapes of Southern Oregon.
This setting gives participants the chance to practice teaching, scenario design, debriefing, and field-based facilitation in both indoor and outdoor learning environments. It is a well-situated place to build confidence for real-world wilderness and remote medicine education.
Who Should Attend This Wilderness Medicine Instructor Course?
The MedTreks Wilderness Medicine Instructor Course is designed for medical professionals, EMS providers, outdoor educators, and future wilderness medicine faculty who want to strengthen their teaching, leadership, and scenario facilitation skills.
This course may be a good fit for:
- Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, and other healthcare professionals with a strong interest in wilderness, austere, travel, or remote medicine.
- Clinicians who want to teach wilderness medicine using an established, evidence-based curriculum.
- Healthcare providers who want to add teaching, public speaking, or medical education to their professional skill set.
- Outdoor leaders, guides, expedition staff, and educators who want to improve their ability to teach medical response in remote or outdoor environments.
- Future MedTreks faculty or wilderness medicine instructors who want more structured training in scenario design, learner engagement, feedback, and field-based teaching.
- Participants should have a genuine interest in wilderness medicine education, comfort working in small groups, and a desire to help others build confidence caring for patients in remote or resource-limited settings.
Do I need previous teaching experience?
Previous teaching experience is helpful, but not required. This course is designed to help participants build confidence as educators through practice, coaching, peer feedback, and hands-on instruction.
Is this course only for physicians?
No. This course is designed for a range of medical and outdoor professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, outdoor educators, and guides with an interest in wilderness medicine education.
Included:
- 4.5 days of professional Wilderness Medicine instruction & mentorship
- MedTreks Wilderness Medicine Instructor Certificate of Completion
- Comprehensive instructor manual
- Access to curriculum materials for teaching purposes
- Faculty coaching and video feedback
- Two pre-course virtual group sessions
- MedTreks IWLS Instructor Patch
- Breakfast, coffee/tea and snacks throughout the day
- Welcome Dinner
- Closing lunch
Excluded:
- Lodging
- Lunches and dinners
- Transportation
- Travel Insurance
- Items of personal nature (laundry, souvenirs, tips, alcoholic beverages)
Why Take a Wilderness Medicine Instructor Course?
The MedTreks Wilderness Medicine Instructor Course is designed to help participants become more confident, effective, and adaptable wilderness medicine educators. This training goes beyond reviewing medical content. It focuses on how to teach, lead, communicate, design scenarios, and support learners in classroom, outdoor, and remote settings.
- Extended Instructor Development This 4.5-day course gives participants time to absorb, practice, and refine their teaching skills through lectures, peer teaching, video review, moulage practice, and field-based scenarios.
- Personalized Faculty Coaching Participants receive direct guidance from experienced wilderness medicine faculty, including structured feedback on teaching style, presentation skills, scenario facilitation, and professional communication.
- Scenario Design and Moulage Practice The course includes hands-on training in realistic wilderness medicine scenario design and moulage techniques, helping instructors create more engaging and practical learning experiences.
- Teaching Skills for Remote and Outdoor Medicine Participants practice leading discussions, delivering evidence-based lectures, debriefing scenarios, and adapting instruction to unpredictable outdoor or resource-limited environments.
- Professional Development and Career Growth This course is designed as a professional development opportunity for clinicians, EMS providers, outdoor educators, and future wilderness medicine faculty who want to add teaching, facilitation, or CME instruction to their skill set.
- Small-Group Learning Environment The course is intentionally small so participants receive individualized attention, meaningful feedback, and more opportunities to practice teaching in front of peers.
- Networking and Mentorship Participants join a cohort of like-minded medical professionals, outdoor educators, and mentors who share an interest in wilderness medicine, teaching, leadership, and adventure-based education.
- Confidence to Teach Wilderness Medicine By the end of the course, participants leave with refined teaching skills, practical scenario tools, a stronger teaching portfolio, and greater confidence to lead wilderness medicine courses and field-based learning experiences.
Want to get a feel for how MedTreks designs and supports its trips? Watch our short “This Is MedTreks” video to learn more about our approach to high-touch adventure travel, medical education, trusted local partners, and community.
Wilderness Medicine CME
Participants have the option to obtain 10 hours of category 1 accredited CME in Wilderness Medicine. This accredited CME program is hosted by MedTreks and accredited by the Wilderness Medical Society. The topics are interspersed throughout the week-long instructor development program, giving participants a comprehensive and detailed review of the core wilderness medicine topics they’ll be teaching.
This curriculum will give students a more comprehensive and detailed review of the core topics of Wilderness Medicine, expanding their knowledge base.
Topics include:
- Patient Assessment in Wilderness Settings
- Improvised Injury Management and Patient Evacuation
- Mountain Medicine: Lightning & Altitude
- Environmental Medicine: Hypothermia & Hyperthermia
- Management of Orthopedic Injuries
- Wound Management in the Wilderness
- Wild Animal Attacks, Bites & Stings
- Medical Kits in Remote & Wilderness Settings
- Water Treatment in Remote & Wilderness Settings
- Whitewater Medicine & Submersion Injury
“The medical topics and content are licensed from AdventureMed’s WLS:MP curriculum and delivered within MedTreks’ instructor training framework.”
CME Accreditation & Curriculum Partnership
The instructor development methodology and course delivery are designed and provided by MedTreks International.
Questions about this instructor course: info@medtreksinternational.com”
CME Accreditation for the Course provided by Wilderness Medical Society
Physician (MD,DO) & Advanced Practitioners (NP/PA) CME
“This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) and MedTreks International. The WMS is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.”
The Wilderness Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 10.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) TM. Each physician should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. All education content presented in this activity has been reviewed and validated as appropriate in keeping with sound scientific principles.
The faculty and staff involved with this live activity have signed disclosure statements indicating they have no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest with respect to this course content.
Nursing Continuing Education
All of our courses are approved for nursing continuing education. Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider # CEP16597, for 10 contact hours”.
