The Wilderness EMS Upgrade Course is a hybrid EMS course designed for licensed medical providers operating in remote, rural, and austere environments. It delivers wilderness medical training focused on prolonged field care, helping practitioners apply their clinical skills in low-resource settings. Through self-paced e-learning and intensive scenario-based field training, students gain the skills and confidence needed to deliver high-quality care when evacuation is delayed or unavailable. Successful completion grants a WEMS certification, such as Wilderness EMT (WEMT) for licensed EMTs.

Who Should Take the Wilderness EMS Upgrade Course:

  • EMTs, AEMTs, and Paramedics working in rural, austere, or backcountry settings
  • Providers pursuing a wilderness EMT certification (WEMT) through an advanced wilderness medical course
  • Search and Rescue (SAR) team members and outdoor emergency responders
  • Ski patrol and mountain rescue professionals
  • Adventure travel and expedition medics
  • Medical providers in disaster response or remote deployments
  • Medical personnel preparing for wilderness leadership roles
  • Medical directors and advisors overseeing emergency response programs in remote areas and austere environments
  • Public safety professionals (fire, EMS, law enforcement) serving remote or austere communities
  • Medical professionals preparing for the WP-C exam.

This hybrid WEMS ugrade course bridges online learning with immersive field-based wilderness training, ensuring all participants, regardless of licensure, enter the in-person section with a shared foundation.

  • E-Learning Section (5-8 Hours)
    • Learners complete 5-8 hours of online course work at their own pace in an asynchronous format over six to eight weeks. Coursework is due prior to the In-Person Learning section. Students have the option to attend virtual office hours by appointment.
  • In-Person Section (~45+ Hours; 5 Days)
    • Learners participate in five days of in-person training.
    • Expect to spend ~ 9+ hours in the classroom each day.

Certification Details and Continuing Education Credits:

The Wilderness EMS Upgrade certification is a specialized wilderness endorsement to your existing medical license. For EMTs, this results in a Wilderness EMT (WEMT) certification. For other providers, credentials align with your licensure (e.g., Wilderness Paramedic, Wilderness RN).

To earn certification, students must meet the criteria set forth in WMA’s Functional Position Description as well as the minimum WEMS performance and testing standards by the last day of the course.

  • “Wilderness EMS Upgrade” valid for 3 years (Wilderness Medical Associates)
  • 45 CEU credit for EMTs, AEMTs, and Paramedics (CAPCE)
  • 45 Contact Hours for nurses (California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider # CEP17692)
  • 38 FAWM Credits (Wilderness Medical Society)

Optional Add-Ons:

  • Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider CPR (American Red Cross) is available for an added $30 fee – additional online coursework is required, must be able to stay after class for skills testing
  • CAEMSA EMT Skill Verification (accepted by National Registry) – no additional charge, additional online coursework is required, must be able to stay after class for emergency childbirth practice
  • CAEMSA EMT Naloxone/Epinephrine Administration and Glucometer Use training – no additional charge, additional online coursework is required

Included Materials:

  • Wilderness and Rescue Medicine: A Practical Guide for the Basic and Advanced Practitioner
  • The Field Guide of Wilderness and Rescue Medicine
  • SOAP Notebook
  • Handouts

This course meets the needs of those pursuing rural EMS training, austere medical education, or prolonged field care training in challenging environments.

This wilderness medical training covers both technical and non-technical skills critical for austere environment medical response and remote emergency medicine delivery.

  • Crew resource management and a culture of safety (Just Culture) to illustrate how human factors play a role in team dynamics, safety, and effective resuscitation and rescue.
  • Insights into tools designed to help responders effectively manage stress injuries. In partnership with Responder Alliance. 
  • An overview of incident command systems frequently used in Search and Rescue, disaster medicine, or interagency operations.
  • Managing patients in prolonged care settings with emphasis on major bleeds, ischemia, infection, rhabdomyolysis, and functional needs.
  • Non-technical components of lifting, moving, and extricating patients from small spaces, and through difficult to navigate terrain. This includes exposure to rescue extrication devices (e.g., litters, siglin, sked).
  • Patient packaging for extended travel.  Emphasis is placed on use of vacuum mattresses and warming systems most commonly used in remote care situations.
  • BLS and ALS skills labs focus on appropriate medical technology relative to the provider’s scope of practice, including medication and fluid administration, injections, and airway and ventilation management.
  • The development of a concise patient problem list and emphasis on patient reporting via various technological tools such as radios, phones, satellite devices, etc.

This course is designed for professionals looking to expand their practice through a wilderness medical certification, such as WEMT, Wilderness RN, or Wilderness Paramedic.This course is designed for professionals looking to expand their practice through a wilderness medical certification, such as WEMT, Wilderness RN, or Wilderness Paramedic.This course is designed for professionals looking to expand their practice through a wilderness medical certification, such as WEMT, Wilderness RN, or Wilderness Paramedic. To take this course, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Have a current EMS (EMT, AEMT, Paramedic) or other professional medical license (e.g., RN, PA, MD/DO).
  • Be able to meet minimum requirements outlined in the WMA International Functional Position Description.

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