Wilderness Medicine Courses

In addition to guided trips, Idaho Mountain Guides provides exceptional instruction in wilderness medicine. All Idaho Mountain Guides wilderness medicine courses are offered in partnership with the Wilderness Medicine Training Center (WMTC). 

For over 25 years, WMTC has been a leader in wilderness medicine education. Idaho Mountain Guides has been teaching WMTC courses since 2004. WMTC focuses on providing unparalleled practical instruction so that students understand, remember, and use what they have learned. Students are engaged from day one through meticulously designed lectures in anatomy and physiology, hands-on skills labs, case studies, and realistic simulations. Click on WMTC’s logo to learn more about the Wilderness Medicine Training Center.

Course Descriptions

WMTC’s courses meet the requirements of the Boy Scouts of America and the American Camping Association trip leader. If certified or within their grace period, graduates from WMTC-approved wilderness medicine schools may recertify their Wilderness First Responder or WEMT with either a WFR recertification or a WFA.  Click here for a list of currently WMTC-approved providers.

Picking a course depends on several factors, including the distance to advanced medical care, industry requirements, and personal interest. The WMTC Wilderness First Aid class is perfect for those interested in learning more about keeping themselves and others safe on weekend getaways with limited cell coverage but quick access (about 1 hour) to advanced medical support. Summer camps and other organizations often require this as a minimum required certification.

For those who work in the outdoor industry, the WMTC Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course (traditional and hybrid) is designed specifically to meet the needs of outdoor professionals, those who embark on multi-day personal trips, those who take part in high-risk activities (rock climbing, whitewater paddling, mountaineering, multi-week expeditions of all kinds, etc.).

The Wilderness First Responder is also perfect for those who want to know more about wilderness medicine and commonly engage in activities that put them in remote locations with minimal cell coverage and complex evacuations.

Certification as a Wilderness First Responder is the industry standard for outdoor instructors and guides, and the courses include WMTC Adult and Child CPR/AED certification

Hybrid WFA – 2 Days

WMTC’s hybrid WFA course is divided into two distinct parts. One must complete the Part 1 Independent Study portion before attending the Part 2 Practical Session with Idaho Mountain Guides, and both must be completed within a year to receive certification. Part 1 of the WMTC’s hybrid WFA will require an estimated 10+ hours of independent studying and testing. If you wonder if a hybrid course suits you, check out this WMTC blog post.  Also, check out WMTC’s hybrid Wilderness First Aid website to see if this course is for you before registering.

Traditional WFA – 3 days

WMTC’s standard Wilderness First Aid workshops are designed to introduce participants to the concepts of medical care in a wilderness setting. This course may be the best choice for dealing with incidents in remote settings but within cell phone coverage.  This course focuses mostly on trauma-related problems and covers environmental and medical topics. Most of the course is hands-on skills practice and simulations, with no formal testing. Unless indicated, CPR certification is not included.

Hybrid WFR – online & 5 days

The hybrid WFR course is divided into two distinct parts. One must complete the Part 1 Independent Study portion before attending the Part 2 Practical Session with Idaho Mountian Guides, and both must be completed within a year to receive certification. Part 1 of the WMTC’s hybrid WFR will require an estimated 30+ hours of independent studying and testing. Part 2 is the practical section of the course and is roughly 40 hours of hands-on practice. If you wonder if a hybrid course suits you, check out this WMTC blog post.  Also, check out WMTC’s hybrid Wilderness First Responder website to see if this course is for you before registering.

WFR & WEMT Hybrid Recertification

This course may be used to recertify Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness EMT (wilderness portion only) certifications. WMTC certifications remain valid for three years with no grace period.

​WMTC’s Hybrid WFR and WEMT Recertification course consists of two Parts. One must complete the Part 1 Independent Study portion before attending the Part 2 Practical Session with Idaho Mountain Guides, and both must be completed within a year to receive certification. Part 1 of the WMTC’s Hybrid WFR and WEMT Recertification will require an estimated 15+ hours of independent studying and testing, and registration is completely facilitated through WMTC. Click here to enroll in WMTC’s Hybrid WFR and WEMT Recertification Part 1. If you wonder if a hybrid course suits you, check out this WMTC blog post.  Also, check out WMTC’s hybrid Wilderness EMT Upgrade course website to see if this course is for you before registering.

​Idaho Mountain Guides sponsors and teaches Part 2 of WMTC’s Hybrid WFR and WEMT Recertification. Part 2 of WMTC’s Hybrid WFR and WEMT Recertification is two (2) days long and requires that Part 1 is completed. Registration with Idaho Mountain Guides for WMTC’s Hybrid WFR and WEMT Recertification is only for Part 2.

​WMTC Adult & Child WCPR/AED certification is included in this course.

​Graduates currently certified (or within their grace period) by WMTC-approved wilderness medicine school may recertify with this course. Click here for a list of currently approved providers. Don’t hesitate to contact Idaho Mountain Guides with any questions. If your certification is through a wilderness medicine school NOT on the list of approved providers, you can appeal to WMTC directly.

Individuals may also recertify their WFR or WEMT by taking our Wilderness First Aid course and passing an online recertification exam.

​Traditional WFR – 9 days

As Hybrid options have increased in prominence, the traditional WFR has become less popular. However, if you learn best with face-to-face interaction with an instructor and by studying in small groups during the evening, register for one of our standard courses.WMTC has taught standard courses since 1997. Lectures are taught using a combination of whiteboard, video, digital slides,  injury photos, and computer animations; over 50% of each course is skill labs and simulations. Each course is designed to deliver practical yet in-depth knowledge of wilderness expedition medicine.