IWLS Bend, Oregon
March 10th & 11th, 2026
Join us this March in Bend, Oregon for the International Wilderness Life Support Certification!
Highlights:
- Practice Wilderness Medicine Skills in the beautiful mountain town of Bend
- Learn from faculty who have extensive experience in Wilderness & Travel Medicine
- Connect with other like-minded health professionals
- Earn your International Wilderness Life Support Certification
- Obtain up to 28 hours of Category 1 CME
A certification course designed for medical professionals who love adventuring in the outdoors, traveling and/or medical volunteering in remote settings. Learn hands-on medical skills that you can take anywhere in the world.
Course Details
Course Objectives:
During our International Wilderness Life Support CME Bend Oregon we want to provide a practical foundation in Wilderness Medicine for medical professionals. This course covers patient assessment in remote settings and treatment guidelines for life support until definitive care or evacuation is available. Medical professionals get the opportunity to step away from the comfort of their own hospitals/clinics and learn skills that they can use in any setting. The course is fun, dynamic, and empowering.
Topics include:
- Patient assessment
- Trauma
- Medical problems
- Infectious disease
- Head, ear, eye, nose, throat & skin conditions
- Animal & insect bites
- Musculoskeletal Injuries
- Wound management
- Water treatment
- Hyperthermia, hypothermia & frostbite
- Medical kits
- Lightning
- High altitude illness (HACE, HAPE)
- Dive Medicine
Continuing Education Credits:
The Wilderness Medical Society designates this hybrid activity consisting of both online education and in-person practical skills for a maximum of 28 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
IWLS Course Description & Hybrid Format
This Hybrid-style IWLS course will be held over Tuesday and Wednesday (March 10th and 11th) in Bend, prior to the MedTreks Outdoor Medicine Collective.
This International Wilderness Life Support is designed to provide medical professionals of all levels (MD, NP/PA, RN, EMT) with a comprehensive training in Wilderness Medicine.
The hybrid IWLS course is an exciting new format that provides you with 12 online wilderness medicine modules that you will have access to for three months and can study at your own time. After the didactic portion, we host our WLS:MP courses in epic locations that allow you to practice skills, ask questions, and meet other like-minded medical professionals, all while enjoying the outdoors and participating in some incredible adventures.
Bend, Oregon, is a true outdoor playground and a paradise for nature lovers, offering a perfect blend of stunning landscapes and year-round recreational activities. Nestled at the edge of the Cascade Mountains, Bend boasts over 300 days of sunshine annually, providing the ideal setting for adventures like hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and paddleboarding. Our course takes place in March, which is one of the best times for skiing and boarding at Mt. Bachelor. Come a few days early or stay a few days later and enjoy the snow! Our course is held right downtown, walking distance to all the restaurants, breweries and shops. Ikon pass holders ski Mt. Bachelor for 7 days, FREE!
Faculty
Sheryl Olson, RN
Ari Rasori, NP
Prices & Dates
Dates: March 10th & 11th, 2026
Time: 8am-5pm
Price: $795
Includes:
- 12 hours of Wilderness Medicine in-person skills training/lectures
- MedTreks goodie bag
- 16 hrs online module content
- 28 Category 1 CME Units
Does not include:
- Meals
- Lodging
- Transportation
- Travel Insurance
The IWLS 2 day hybrid course takes place before our 5 day Outdoor Medicine Collective (March 11th-15th, 2025). In is an optional add-on to our OMC. The OMC is a 20 hr accredited category 1 CME seminar focusing on Wilderness Medicine, Travel Medicine and Global Health. You are welcome to sign up for one or both with the option to earn up to 28 hrs of CME over the 6 days!
Interested in becoming a Wilderness Medicine Instructor? MedTreks is hosting the first IWLS certification course June 7th-12th, 2026 in Ashland, Oregon. This will be a comprehensive course designed to equip Wilderness Medicine educators on how to effectively teach and deliver quality and engaging content. If you are interested in being an expedition doctor or an instructor for Wilderness Medicine – this course is for you.