Ever wanted your qualification to take you somewhere incredible?

ExpeMed is the longest running expedition medical course in the UK.

The four day course provides training for healthcare workers interested in becoming expedition medics. The course will provide you with a range of skills to help plan, maintain and manage the health of an expedition.

An expedition is a journey to a remote area with a purpose. The purpose may be scientific, sporting or simply adventurous. The number of expeditions leaving the UK each year is constantly increasing as people seek to visit ever more remote parts of the world and undertake greater challenges.

Expeditions are hazardous due to the activity being undertaken, the environment and their remoteness. Expedition medicine should not be an after-thought or viewed as a safety-net for the organisers and team but rather it should be integral to all stages of planning and activities on the expedition to reduce risk, prevent health problems and effectively manage issues that arise. Accordingly, many trip organisers recruit an expedition medic - doctors, nurses, paramedics - often referred to as the medical officer.

The responsibilities of the expedition medic are numerous and varied. Before the expedition they have to undertake medical screening of the participants, give advice with regard to vaccinations and malaria chemoprophylaxis, complete a risk assessment, obtain medical equipment and provide a comprehensive medical plan.

During the trip they must promote behaviour that minimises the risk of injury and illness amongst the group. They must also assess and treat unwell team members, possibly including their evacuation from the expedition site.
A wide range of medical problems may present during a trip, most commonly traumatic, infectious and environmental.

Pre-existing medical conditions are also frequently exacerbated by environmental conditions and physical exertion. The expedition medic must therefore have a broad base of medical knowledge, skills and experience.

Training in expedition medicine is therefore an important aspect in the preparation of the expedition medic. ExpeMed is the UK's longest running expedition medicine course for healthcare professionals and aims to provide them with the confidence, knowledge and practical skills to plan for an expedition, maintain the expedition's health and manage illness and injuries in a remote location.

The subjects covered include expedition planning and preparation, pre-hospital emergency medicine in the field, improvisation techniques and health protection for expeditions.

Interactive sessions are interspersed with a small number of superb short lectures outlining key issues such tropical medicine, diving medicine, altitude medicine and climatic injuries.

The instructional faculty includes highly experienced doctors, paramedics and expedition medics, HEMS doctors, Mount Everest expedition medics, former SAS doctors and specialists in fields such as tropical medicine and diving - all current and highly respected in their field. For many years, ExpeMed has been the leading choice for healthcare professionals who wish to expand their knowledge of expedition medicine.

Expeditions offer unique opportunities to visit remote and interesting areas of the world and to undertake challenging and adventurous activities. Skills of leadership, communication, teamwork and management will be developed.

In the absence of accessible developed medical facilities the expedition medic is forced to rely on his own skills of history taking and examination as well as good judgement and experience. The role of the expedition medic is a challenging and greatly rewarding task, and the key to success is good planning and preparation before departure.

For further information visit:
www.prometheusmed.com
or e-mail
enquiries@prometheusmed.com (Quote ExpeMed)

This 4 day course is based in Herefordshire and costs £550 plus VAT. Dates for this year are, 20 - 23 May 2010 and 4 - 7 November 2010.
Caption - Suturing on Everest