At the Society we have a wealth of advice available for those going into the field on expeditions and research projects, including on how to look after the health and wellbeing of those working in remote environments.
Last month we held an introductory workshop for early career medical professionals about expedition and wilderness medicine.
Led by Professor Chris Imray, current chair of the Society's Expedition Medicine Advisory Group, the day covered topics such as the role of medics on expeditions, the medical challenges of working in remote tropical and mountainous environments, and the legal issues of practicing expedition medicine overseas. Alongside this, three early career expedition medics shared their experiences of incidents they have had to cope with when in the field, including the collapse of a marathon runner in Malawi; a potentially rabid dog bite to an expedition leader; and an expedition team member suffering with mental health issues on a long trek in Central Asia.
The workshop was attended by junior doctors, medical students, early career wilderness medics, and nurses. One attendee said: “The array of speakers was brilliant from relatively junior expedition medics to field leaders, and helped to show how a career in expedition and wilderness medicine may start and progress. Their enthusiasm and passion was contagious and I have definitely caught the bug!”
Want to know more about expedition and wilderness medicine? Find out more.
Interested in planning your own expedition or field research trip? Find out more.