Medical School Electives, cont.
Q: When are the electives?
A: As there are many available throughout the year; you should
have no problem finding a two or four week elective to fit into
your schedule. The official WMS elective is held in February of
each year.
Q: Who qualifies for these electives?
A: Most electives will only accept third or fourth year
medical students (MD or DO), with priority usually given to the
fourth years. Nevertheless, each is unique so look around for one
that fits you.
Q: How do I get credit for the electives?
A: The official WMS elective is very well established and
students have no problem receiving school credit for it. Stick
with the WMS or other University affiliated courses for assurance
of medical school credit if it is something you need.
Q: How do I start my own student wilderness
elective?
A: This has been done, but requires a large amount of legwork
on your part. If this is something you want to do, I would suggest
talking to a student who has done something similar and finding a
faculty advisor in your college that will work with and support
you. The Umass elective is one to model as students are very
involved in organizing it. The current contact person at Umass is
4th year medical student Garreth Biegun (see contact info below).
Q: Can you start me off with some electives
to look at?
A: Sure! See the sidebar and refer to wms.org/student groups
for future additions to this list.
Wilderness and International Electives for
Medical Students
- Wilderness Medical Society and USUHS
- Yearly February course in the Great Smoky
Mountains, TN
- The most comprehensive wilderness course in
existence – classes are also applicable for the Fellowship in
the Academy of Wilderness Medicine
- Course director:
tkphs@yahoo.com
-
www.wms.org/academy/elective.asp
NOLS Medical Student Course “Medicine in the
Wild”
- April 7-May 2, 2008
- Course contact:
nolspro@nols.edu
-
http://www.nols.edu/wmi/courses/medicineinthewild.shtml
- One month intensive program including three
week wilderness expedition in New Mexico.
- Focus on wilderness medicine, outdoor skills,
leadership and medical education.
- Offered in partnership with the Harvard
Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency program.
University of Massachusetts Medical School
- 3 weeks (evolutions): The first evolution
will be Alpine and will take place on Mount Pfiefferhorn, the
second will be White Water on the Green River/Desolation Canyon,
and the last will be Desert in Canyonlands National Park.
- Contact:
kerri.o'keefe@umassmed.edu
University of South Carolina
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University of New Mexico
- Disaster Medicine Student Elective
(wilderness component)
- Course Contact: Loretta Doyle:
LDoyle@salud.unm.edu
-
University of New Mexico
*** U of New Mexico also has a “wilderness, international and
improvisational elective” in Feb-March of each year ***
University of Nebraska School of Medicine &
Belize Institute for Tropical & Wilderness Medicine & GMRS Ltd
- Wilderness Medicine, International Health,
Wilderness Rescue, Wilderness Survival Rotations in Belize and
around the world.
- All are sponsored for credit by U of Nebraska
Medical Center
- Course contact: Dr. Keith Brown
dr.brown@gmrsltd.com
-
www.gmrsltd.com
Medical Clinic of Big Sky, Montana
- Ok, I admit I snuck this non-wilderness
specific elective in here, but it is too amazing not to mention.
I suggest applying 1 year in advance…it is very popular!
-
www.docsky.us
University of Utah School of Medicine
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West Virginia University Wilderness
Medicine/Emergency Medicine Elective
- Wilderness/emergency medicine rotation for
4th year med students
- Course director: Jack Ditty, MD
jditty@hsc.wvu.edu
University of Iowa
Medcor at Yellowstone National Park
- For students less interested in a wilderness
curriculum and instead prefer to work in a national park
setting.
- Medical students spend 2 to 4 weeks working
in the Yellowstone Clinic
- Elective Director: Dr. Luanne Freer:
luannefreer@gmail.com
MedicIndia
Stanford University School of Medicine
Cornell Medical College
- 2-week Elective in Wilderness & Environmental
Medicine
- A few days in New York and then in the
Adirondack Mountains
- 3rd & 4th year students
- Students can apply
here
- Course contact:
lemery@med.cornell.edu
You may contact Kelly at
kellycasperson@gmail.com
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