Wilderness Committee

Wilderness

Wilderness Division Leaders

Chair

Matthew Basinger, MD

University of Michigan

Chair Elect

Joseph Mueller, MS4

University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine

Vice Chair

Kara Hatlevoll, DO, MS, FAWM

Norman Regional Health System

Vice Chair

Sarah Spelsberg, MD, FAWM, FEWM

Saint James School of Medicine St Vincent

Vice Chair

Carlos Enciso Lopez, MD

University of Michigan

Assistant Vice Chair

Chelsea Mcaulsan

Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine

Assistant Vice Chair

Joshua Marcum, DO

Sunrise Health GME Consortium

Assistant Vice Chair

Jack Lowe

Carle Illinois College of Medicine

Assistant Vice Chair

Justine McKittrick, MD

Medical University of South Carolina

Staff Liaison

Heather Deja

Operations Manager
Contact Heather

Vice Speaker of the Council

Michaela Banks, MD

Louisiana State University New Orleans
Health Science Center | New Orleans, LA
Contact Michaela

Chair

Matthew Basinger, MD

University of Michigan

Chair Elect

Joseph Mueller, MS4

University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine

Vice Chair

Kara Hatlevoll, DO, MS, FAWM

Norman Regional Health System

Vice Chair

Sarah Spelsberg, MD, FAWM, FEWM

Saint James School of Medicine St Vincent

Vice Chair

Carlos Enciso Lopez, MD

University of Michigan

Assistant Vice Chair

Chelsea Mcaulsan

Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine

Assistant Vice Chair

Joshua Marcum, DO

Sunrise Health GME Consortium

Assistant Vice Chair

Jack Lowe

Carle Illinois College of Medicine

Assistant Vice Chair

Justine McKittrick, MD

Medical University of South Carolina

Staff Liaison

Heather Deja

Operations Manager
Contact Heather

Vice Speaker of the Council

Michaela Banks, MD

Louisiana State University New Orleans
Health Science Center | New Orleans, LA
Contact Michaela

EMRA Wilderness Olympics

This year, we, the EMRA Wilderness Committee, are happy to present a brand-new event, the Wilderness Olympics, that will take place at Unconventional ACEP 2020.

In lieu of a traditional MedWAR, this year the EMRA Wilderness Committee is presenting something different at Unconventional ACEP 2020. We are hoping to provide an outlet for all wilderness medicine lovers and those interested in some healthy competition.

Being virtual, we are no longer constrained by limitations on participants, this year’s event will be open to all interested teams. But don’t worry, but because we are virtual, we will still make you sweat (in a socially distant and responsible way).

Deadline to register your five-person team is September 15. A chance drawing will reveal the competing teams!

Register your team

Socially Responsible Wilderness Exploration in the Time of COVID

Interested in learning skills and strategies for wilderness exploration during these days of social distancing? With many shelters no longer accessible, how can you pack to better prepare yourself. What are the best ways to be socially responsible while still getting out to explore? Learn all this and more on our wildnerness medicine call.

Guest Speakers:
Paul Auerbach, MD, MS, FACEP, MFAWM
Taylor Haston, MD
Ian Wedmore, MD

Watch Now

"As humans extend into remote reaches of the globe and large populations encounter environmental changes at an ever-increasing rate, this medicine of exploration, adventure, travel, and disaster response has become indispensable. While much of the medicine practiced in remote areas or under environmental extremes is “emergency” in nature, the field of wilderness medicine has advanced beyond the exciting rescues of extreme alpinists and survivalists. It has expanded in scope beyond the physiology and pathophysiology of medical conditions relevant to wilderness environments to include the practice of medicine in situations of constrained resources, during times of catastrophe, and often in impoverished countries during global humanitarian relief. Practitioners skilled in wilderness medicine have become rescuers and leaders noted for their resourcefulness and rugged practicality." - Dr. Paul Auerbach

Joining EMRA Committees is easy and FREE.

Just log into your EMRA account and select which one(s) you wish to join.

Once you join, you will receive an invitation to be part of the EMRA Committee Basecamp, which helps facilitate communication and collaboration.

Marine Envenomations with Mark Silverberg, MD, FACEP

EMRA's Wilderness Committee hosted a discussion led by Mark Silverberg, MD, FACEP.  

Watch Now

2019 EMRA MedWAR Congratulations

Congratulations to team Stanford EM (SKEMbags) from Stanford Emergeny Medicine. Interested in participating or volunteering for EMRA's MedWAR, learn more here.

Wilderness Fellowships

Check out the Wilderness Fellowship opportunities 

Find Fellowships

ACEP Wilderness Section

As a resident, you get joint memberships in both EMRA and ACEP - so make sure you're aware and informed of what the ACEP Wilderness Section is doing!

When you set up your EMRA/ACEP membership, you get (2) section memberships for free - one to the ACEP Young Physician Section, and one of your choice. Why not make that choice Wilderness Medicine?

Additional ACEP section fees are half off - only $20!

Learn More

Wilderness Virtual Mentorship

If you are new to the committee or have an interest in Wilderness Medicine, but do not have adequate mentorship at your home institution, please fill in the information below and allow us to pair you with a mentor in your region or who shares your academic interests! 

If you're a fellow or an attending interested in serving as either a short-term or long-term mentor to those interested in wilderness medicine, please fill in the information below.

Virtual Mentorship Registration

EMRA MedWAR

EMRA’s MedWAR (Medical Wilderness Adventure Race) combines wilderness medicine with adventure racing to create a unique event designed to teach and test wilderness survival and medical skills.  This event provides residents and medical students an opportunity for hands-on wilderness medicine experience. The best way to learn wilderness medicine is to get outside and practice. Participants are challenged to use their broad knowledge of wilderness medicine to handle a series of potential medical emergencies. Do you have what it takes to compete? 

Learn More

Simulation Materials

True wilderness emergencies are not an everyday event for most of us but as we strive to be prepared for medical complications in the wilderness, simulation can play a vital role in transferring our knowledge into skills and practical action. Four high-fidelity cases were developed by the Stanford Wilderness Medicine Fellowship and presented by the ACEP Wilderness Medicine Section at ACEP13 in Seattle. The case files have been made available by the Stanford Wilderness Medicine Fellowship and we encourage you to download them and use them in your respective programs or training organizations:

Case I
Case II
Case III
Case IV

EMRA Fellowship Guide

Chapter 30 Wilderness Medicine Fellowship

Wilderness medicine (WM) is the practice of medicine with limited resources in austere environments, or health care provided anywhere in which environmental conditions have inflicted a patient’s physiologic insult. This simple definition belies the complexity of this specialty, as well as the extensive and varied opportunities it provides. Training in wilderness medicine can prepare physicians to treat mountaineers and sherpas on Everest, serve as directors of national parks, oversee search and rescue missions, work in hyperbarics or dive medicine, and provide medical care on expeditions or at remote scientific base camps. A wilderness medicine physician must not only have a knowledge of medical problems that arise in the elements (i.e. acute mountain sickness, hypothermia, lightning strikes, dysbarism, and envenomations, to name a few), but also how to acutely manage these problems outside of the hospital and often with minimal support.

Go to Chapter 30

Additional External Wilderness Articles

Down south in Gainesville, Florida, emergency physicians Giuliano De Portu, MD, FACEP, and Henry Young II, MD,... The post The Great Outdoors: ACEP Members Find Wellness in the Wilderness
Overview: In this podcast, we take a glimpse into the world of wilderness medicine and learn about how it ties in with Emergency Medicine and EMS. To do this, we look at the practice of...
Tate sat down with EM applicant Forrest Wells at the end of last year’s interview season to talk about lessons learned on “the trail”. The episode was recorded in that sweet spot after Forrest had...
Twitter/Instagram: @vtcemergencymedicine Location: Roanoke, VA  Year founded: 2011 Number of residents: 35 Program length: 3 years What... The post Residency Spotlight: the Virginia Tech Carilion

How I Educate Series: Stephanie Lareau, MD

Stephanie Lareau, MD, FACEP, FAWM
ALiEM 10/26/2022
This week’s How I Educate post features Dr. Stephanie Lareau, the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Director and Medical Director of Emergency Services at Virginia Tech Carilion Clinic. Dr. Lareau
A 15-year-old male presents symptomatic several hours after inhaling spores of this mushroom as a home remedy for epistaxis. What is the presentation and pathophysiology of the toxic syndrome

Related Content

Feb 22, 2023

EMRA MedWAR Call For Volunteers

EMRA’s MedWAR (Medical Wilderness Adventure Race) is a unique event designed to teach and test wilderness survival and medical skills. This event provides residents and medical students an opportunity for hands-on wilderness medicine experience. The best way to learn wilderness medicine is to get outside and practice. Participants are challenged to use their broad knowledge of wilderness medicine to handle a series of potential medical emergencies. We always need helping hands to create the best race possible for the participants. If you are interested in volunteering and are an EMRA member, join us on Thursday, October 12, 2023. Please sign up before September 12, 2023.

Feb 22, 2023

EMRA MedWAR Call for Teams

EMRA’s MedWAR (Medical Wilderness Adventure Race) is a unique event designed to teach and test wilderness survival and medical skills. This event provides residents and medical students an opportunity for hands-on wilderness medicine experience. The best way to learn wilderness medicine is to get outside and practice. Participants are challenged to use their broad knowledge of wilderness medicine to handle a series of potential medical emergencies. Do you have what it takes to compete? Each team must be composed of three team members. All team members must be a paid EMRA member - medical student, resident, or fellow. The fee for participation is $150 per team member. Fees include commemorative t-shirt, post-race meal, a lifetime of memories, and unique medical training. Join us in Philadelphia, PA on Thursday, October 12, 2023. Teams must apply before July 31, 2023!

Feb 02, 2023

Stories from the Bering Sea

On Thursday February 9th @ 9:00 pm EST the Wilderness team is featuring one of our talented committee members, Sarah Spelsberg PA-C, FAWM, FEWM, MD-IV MD Candidate Class of 2023. She will be discussing her work and the logistical challenges of medevac in the Bering Sea. Please follow the link below to access the meeting.