Wilderness Medicine - Medical Student and Resident Opportunities

In August of 2006, we hosted a combined wilderness medicine/ emergency medicine elective rotation for 4th year medical students. The students worked shifts in the ED, attended the first Appalachian Wilderness Medicine Conference, and participated in a series of lectures and outdoor practical skills workshops. It was a successful month, but a lot of the scheduled activities and lectures were duplicated at the conference. For 2007 and beyond, we are encouraging interested students to do the regular Emergency Medicine elective rotation in the month of August, with free admission to the conference on the second weekend of the month. If there are a number of students in the ED that month with an interest in WM, we will also try to schedule some additional activities. Contact Jack Ditty, MD for more info (jditty@hsc.wvu.edu).

Residents in the department are actively encouraged to participate in WM events and education. We provide lectures and guidance to the WVU School of Medicine WM Interest Group, lectures on WM topics within the department, and participation in WM research projects. Our current WM research focus is an investigation of shoulder reduction in the wilderness. This is a series of 3-4 separate projects, with opportunities for resident involvement on each project. The Mountaineer Area Rescue Group is always looking for more volunteers, and they have 2 meetings each month for training and case review. The group provides volunteer technical rescue support and wilderness search and rescue for northern West Virginia and surrounding areas. Residents may not have a lot of time to participate in these, but the opportunity is there. We are also exploring opportunities for ski patrol at one of the local resorts. The famous 24 hour mountain bike race (now called 24 Hours of Big Bear) is just over the hill near Hazelton, and there is an opportunity to provide medical support for the racers.

Finally, our residents are very active in outdoor recreation. The department recognizes the need for an escape from the daily grind of residency, and there are many great places to escape near Morgantown.
We have some of the best year-round whitewater kayaking on the planet (Big Sandy Creek, Blackwater River, Youghigheny River, Cheat River, Decker's Creek, New River, Gauley River, etc.) Someone from the
department is on the river almost every day of the year, and we get plenty of opportunities to participate in river rescues and injuries. Morgantown also has spectacular mountain biking just minutes from town,
road biking, and an extensive rail-trail network in the city limits. Climbers enjoy great bouldering in Cooper's Rock State Park, and other types of climbing at the Woodland Wall, Seneca Rocks and New River Gorge. Winter sports include cross-country skiing, downhill skiing at Wisp, TImberline, or Snowshoe, and occasionally ice-climbing. We're never bored, and the close proximity of all these places allows you to get out and enjoy the outdoors even after a hard day's work.

Links:
"Mountaineer Area Rescue Group"

"Syllabus for 2006 WM Elective"