Wilderness Medical Society
Medical Conference and Annual Meeting
Snowmass, Colorado - July 24-29, 2009

SMALL GROUP SESSIONS

The small group sessions have become the heart of WMS conferences; the 2009 offerings emphasize the reason why. They run the gamut from basic wilderness medicine to ethics to applied science to backcountry food preparation, and much more.

We listened to you again – the sessions are now shorter so you may attend up to 14 of the 43 classes being offered. Another reminder about free time … don’t forget to schedule it! (All sessions are included in the registration fee.)

* indicates hands-on


*Anaphylaxis in the Backcountry: Recognize, Treat, and Transport (Weil)
Sat–8:00am, Sun–1:00pm, and Tue–3:20pm
Attendees will gain new and in-depth knowledge of this potentially life-threatening condition, with an emphasis on recognition and optimal treatment. Attendees also will become familiar with both epinephrine auto-injectors and skilled in their use with hands-on training.

Applied Exercise Physiology: Altitude Endurance Training and Rock Climbing Strength-to-Weight Ratio (Padfield)
Tue–4:00pm and Wed–10:40am
A review of two different areas of current exercise physiology research – using moderate altitude in training endurance athletes and the ideal strength-to-weight ratio for rock climbers. Emphasis is on the practical application of the lessons learned from scientific research.

Caring for the High Altitude Traveler with Preexisting Medical Conditions (Luks)
Mon–10:40am and Wed–7:40am
Do you take care of people at high altitude or provide advice prior to their trip? These tasks are straight forward when you are working with healthy individuals but can be more difficult if your patient has underlying medical conditions. Learn how to approach these more challenging situations
and ensure a healthy trip for everyone involved.

Case Studies in Wilderness Medicine: The NOLS Field Experience (Schimelpfenig & Tarter)
Tue–2:30pm and Wed–9:10am
This workshop will explore the challenges of leadership, decision-making, remote evacuations and the application of wilderness medicine through case studies from the NOLS incident database. We’ll look at the medicine, and the often equally important component of leadership and teamwork,
and share lessons learned from experience.

E-911 - The Cellphone as a Life-saving Tool (Schlager)
Sat–9:30am and Mon–9:10am
Understanding the differences and limitations of various cellular phone devices and carriers can make the difference between a tragic or successful rescue. This talk is designed to help one better understand E-911 and how to choose the proper cellular phone when making a “call in the wild.”

Ethics of Wilderness Medicine (Heine)
Tue–4:00pm and Wed–9:10am
A facilitated discussion on ethical issues unique to providing medical care in the wilderness using well-known historical and recent events.

Evidence-Based Management of Wilderness Trauma (Burdick)
Tue–1:00pm and Wed–9:10am
This session will review some commonly known protocols such as NEXUS for spine injuries, as well as some lesserknown concepts such as the use of a tuning fork for diagnosing fractures. We will discuss case studies from search & rescue operations to explore the use and limitations
of these clinical skills in a wilderness context.

*Functional Core Training for the Backcountry: What’s New, What’s Hot and What’s Not (Bookspan)
Mon–10:00am and Wed–10:00am
No crunches or forward bending that pressures discs. Learn fun quick techniques to straighten posture, fix lower back pain from hiking and backpacks, and functionally strengthen, from simple moves to the toughest you can get. Bring a backpack.

Glisse Mountaineering: Ski, Snowboard and Avalanche Medicine (Van Tilburg)
Sat–9:30am and Sun–4:00pm
If you ski with the family, volunteer with a patrol, or work in a mountain clinic, this session will give you all you need to know about ski and snowboard injuries, avalanche, deep snow and tree well submersion suffocation. An emphasis on avalanche safety will include beacons, shovels, probes,
airbags, avalung and other equipment.

Going to Extremes: Leadership Lessons from the Edge of Human Performance (Padfield)
Tue–1:00pm and Wed–7:40am
An analysis of leadership factors highlighted under conditions of extreme physical and environmental stress. Focus is on the smokejumpers trapped during the Mann Gulch fire (1949) in Montana, the USN rescue of submariners from the sunken Squalus (1939), the high-altitude parachute tests conducted during USAF Project Excelsior (1959-60), and the USMC raid of the Japanese-held Makin Island in World War II (1942).

Hyperbaric Medicine and Working Under Pressure (Conard)
Mon–7:40am and Tue–2:30pm
This session will focus on hyperbaric medicine, dive medicine, evolving recreational diving technologies including technical diving and rebreathers.

Ice Ice Baby: Cold Injuries (Gravatt)
Sun–1:00pm and Mon–10:40am
Cold injuries are common to those who live, work and play in such environments. Most individuals simply get cold; others may die. Eight cold-related injuries/diseases will be discussed, spreading the gamut from those which are simply a nuisance such as cold-induced rhinorrhea to potentially
fatal ones such as cold-induced urticaria.

*Improvised Splints and Litters (Richards)
Tue–1:00pm and Wed–7:40am
Learn these fundamental wilderness medicine skills – improvising splints and litters – under the guidance of Wilderness Medicine Institute instructors.

In-Flight Emergencies: Is there a Doctor on the Airplane? (Podolsky)
Tue–4:00pm and Wed–9:10am
This session will focus on how the in-flight environment can affect patient management of common air travel emergencies and problems. Innovative

Combat Aeromedical Techniques (ICAT) You Can Use (Davenport)
Sun–1:00pm and Mon–10:40am
Learn the innovative techniques of combat flight medics used to manage severely injured or ill patients in the most challenging situations. Based on the most current lessons learned during OIF, you will learn principles and techniques of rapid patient stabilization in difficult environments.

Insect and Arthropod Bites: SWARMS - Spiders, Wasps, Ants, Roaches, Mosquitos, Scorpions (Kucewicz)
Mon–10:40am and Wed–10:40am
This session will discuss insects and arthropods of medical importance to humans and how to identify and treat common injuries and illnesses caused by their bites and stings.





Latin American Wilderness Training (Walker)
Sun–4:00pm and Mon–9:10am
The reality in Latin America is that there are many accidents in the wilderness due to lack of legislation and training. This session will discuss the inherent problems and how to work collaboratively toward developing programs that provide wilderness medical training in Latin America.

Lessons Re-learned: The US Army’s Experience with Tick-Borne Illness (Westhoff)
Sat–8:00am and Sun–1:00pm
While ticks do not capture headlines like their distant stinging relatives, they are probably responsible for more human disease in the United States than any other arthropod. The speaker will review our current understanding of this emerging infectious disease threat, with particular emphasis on the current and historical experience of the US Army, for which tickborne illness represents an enduring occupational hazard.

Medical Technology in the Wilderness: Don’t Be Left to Your Own Devices (Hile)
Sun–2:30pm and Mon–10:40am
Wilderness providers pride themselves on their ability to improvise, yet the portability and durability of medical technology means that increasingly more devices may be applicable to the wilderness setting. This session will discuss technology that can be readily used or may be applicable in
the near future, as well as that better left in the hospital.

Missionary and Humanitarian Medicine: Complexities, Controversies, Criticisms, Challenges, Opportunities (Kessler)
Sun–4:00pm and Wed–9:10am
With expanding travel and reporting options, the intermingling of the privileged and the poor is increasing. Implications of such interactions as perceived by the discussion leader will be outlined, and input/networking from all participants should be of benefit to all.

*Moulage Workshop (Tarter)
Sun–1:00pm and Mon–7:40am
Enhance the realism of your training simulations with simple mock injuries. WMI’s experienced educators will share tricks of the trade in using moulage effectively in your education setting.

Navigating Change - A Voyage to Connect Science and Culture with Health (Shehata)
Mon–9:10am and Tue–2:30pm
This session uses Hokule‘a, a Hawaiian voyaging canoe, to bring together students, scientists and culture experts to address the health of the ecosystem, and demonstrate its relation to how we can live healthier lives. A student navigator and a crew captain will also be present for this discussion.

*Not the Same Old Stretches - Stretching Smarter Stretching Healthier (Bookspan)
Tue–3:20pm and Wed–7:40am
Come relieve conference aches on the spot, and take home effective techniques to wow your patients.

Nutrition for the Rescued and Rescuer: A Critical Part of Emergency Medical Planning (Askew)
Tue–2:30pm and Wed–7:40am
This session will illustrate the importance of food in restoring injured or lost individuals prior to the long rescue trek out. It will also point out how important it is to not overlook your own nutritional support since you may be working extremely hard in a challenging environment. It will cover some unique aspects of wilderness rescue including the rescue of trauma patients, diabetic individuals and persons with food allergies.

*Orthopedic Injuries in the Wilderness (Weiss)
Sat–8:00am and Sun–3:20pm
This “hands-on” workshop will cover diagnosis, concerns, and treatment of fractures and dislocations in the wilderness.

Pediatric Wilderness Medicine: Taking Children to the Wild Side (Sedillo)
Mon–9:10am and Tue–4:00pm
Pertinent anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of a child who may become sick or injured in the wilderness will be discussed, and the more common medical and injury conditions of children in the wilderness will be reviewed.

*Planning and Preparing Food for Solo and Group Expedition into the Backcountry – A Demonstration and Tasting (Askew et al)
Sun–3:20pm and Mon–10:00am
This workshop will demonstrate the selection, planning and preparation of particularly useful food for small as well as large expeditions. A selection of useful grocery store foods appropriate for backpacking will be displayed and sample food items will be prepared for the class to observe and sample. These include campfire baking, dutch oven cooking, campfire desserts, as well as the preparation of a “classical” explorer food, pemmican and ways pemmican “hoosh” can be augmented by grains such as quinoa, corn meal or rice. Samples of some useful trail foods will be made
available to the participants.

*Prevent and Fix Common Expedition Injuries (Bookspan)
Mon–7:40am and Tue–1:00pm
Fast moving, jam packed, hands-on workshop to prevent and rehab sprains, bad arches, knee, disc, shoulder, upper back, lower back, SI joint, and mystery back pain.

Preventive Medicine in the Wilderness - The Easiest Injury to Treat is the One That Never Occurs (Trayers)
Sun–4:00pm and Mon–7:40am
This presentation will address various issues in preventive medicine and risk management, and apply them to the wilderness setting.

Recipe for Community Wilderness Medicine Education - How to Season Your Talk (Stoner)
Sun–2:30pm and Mon–7:40am
Hungry to know the ingredients necessary for a successful community lecture on wilderness medicine? Learn how to market, develop and deliver a topic using your experience that will fire up your community’s appetite for wilderness medicine.

Rhabdomyolysis and Compartment Syndromes in the Wilderness Environment (Hessert)
Tue–1:00pm and Wed–10:40am
You will learn how to appreciate the similar symptoms of rhabdomyolysis and compartment syndrome and how these conditions can be differentiated. You will also understand how to treat both problems in austere environments with limited supplies.

Seafood Toxidromes: Who Else Had the Fish?! (Keitz)
Sun–2:30pm and Mon–9:10am
Seafood-related illness can ruin a vacation or expedition. Learn not only how to avoid becoming ill but what to do should you come across these illnesses in the field or in your practice.

Sigmund Goes Hiking - Psychiatric Emergencies in the Wilderness (Snow)
Tue–4:00pm and Wed–9:10am
Presentation will focus on the recognition and management of common psychiatric conditions seen in the wilderness setting including delirium, psychosis, anxiety, and suicidality.

Sustainable Healthcare (Hertner)
Sun–2:30pm and Mon–7:40am
An introduction into why we, as healthcare leaders, should lead our society in preservation of the environment. A discussion of the importance of combining the concepts of ecology, economy and providing care without harm for the future sustainablity of healthcare.

Therapies and Toxins from Nature: Case Studies (Gaudio)
Tue–1:00pm and Wed–10:40am
This informal session will review clinical cases that involved a medicine or toxin derived from the natural world.

Tickborne Diseases—Expect the Unexpected (Cummins)
Tue–2:30pm and Wed–7:40am
Talk will cover worldwide tickborne diseases, with an emphasis on those commonly encountered. Talk will include brief description of common tick vectors, diseases transmitted, signs and symptoms, awareness, treatment and prevention.

*Tourniquets and Hemostatic Agents: Use in the Backcountry (Bennett)
Sat–8:00am and Wed–10:00am
This workshop will provide the ability to see the tourniquets and hemostatic agents currently recommended for use by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC), Defense Health Board. We will discuss the correct application, how they work, the pros and cons, and lessons learned for managing severe bleeding.

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers When Traveling Abroad (Shaw)
Tue–2:30pm and Wed–10:40am
An overview of the history, distribution, prevention and treatment of the various viral hemorrhagic fevers while traveling abroad and in the wilderness.

Wilderness Airway Management: Challenges and Strategies (Chesebro)
Sat–9:30am and Sun–1:00pm
During this workshop, you will learn to appreciate the importance and challenges associated with wilderness airway management, as well as learn some strategies to approach the compromised airway in a wilderness setting.

Wilderness Medical Kits (Smith)
Sat–8:00am and Sun–1:00pm
This workshop is geared toward helping participants design their own medical kit; beginning from a pocket full of bandaids to the example of Dr. Smith’s complex Search and Rescue Medical Kit. The basic principles of medical kit preparation will be discussed (such as size of group, terrain,
remoteness of area, skill level of providers, etc).


Wilderness Medical Society: A Tutorial (Greenway & Ingwersen)
Tue–1:00pm and Wed–7:40am
Learn about ways to affiliate with the WMS, including conducting CME meetings and seminars, and explore the ever-growing number of online member resources available at your fingertips. Preview future projects and share ideas with our CEO and Webmaster.

Wilderness Medicine Skills in Global Health Settings: The Definition of an Expert is One Who Has Made All the Mistakes (Irwin)
Sat–8:00am and Sun–2:30pm
This session will emphasize the many practical things that medical teams need to know to function and survive in remote Third World settings and to accomplish the mission goal of helping the very poor.

Wilderness Pediatrics: More Than Just Sunscreen and Snacks? (Clothier)
Sun–4:00pm and Mon–7:40am
Review of applicable medical literature on pediatric wilderness medicine. Case-based discussion of key points of wilderness pediatrics. Group discussion.

Photos courtesy of WMI of NOLS. Photo taken by: Pascal Beauvais and Brady Robinson