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| USA medical students participate in a wilderness medicine course earlier this year. |
The event focuses on wilderness medicine, the practice of medicine where definitive care is more than one hour away, and often days to weeks away. Outdoor skills will be taught during the weekend event that can be helpful for those who respond to natural disasters.
Dr. Lynn Yonge, an assistant clinical professor for the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, membership chairman of the WMS, and faculty advisor for the USA Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group, will host the event at Longleaf, his family tree farm in Deer Park, Ala. The property is a 340-acre, certified Alabama Treasure Forest.
Dr. Yonge is also asking those who can to make a contribution to the USA Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group. “The group has been very popular with medical students,” Dr. Yonge said. “The planned Emergency Medicine residency at USA is highly interested in making this curriculum and activity their own.”
Dr. Sidney Brevard, associate professor of surgery at USA, will be one of the event's speakers. “Dr. Brevard gave one of the best lectures I've ever heard about a physician living in primitive conditions during a disaster, helping their patients survive third-world types of conditions,” Dr. Yonge said. “I think many of us are willing to help in the face of natural disasters, but we just might not know how. This course is designed to open the door to that knowledge.”
Dr. Yonge has been involved with WMS for more than 10 years. His role as chair of the organization prompted him to volunteer his property and time for the event. “I want WMS to be accessible to health professionals and students. This conference was designed to be an affordable way to get a taste of the organization,” Dr. Yonge said.
For more information about the Wilderness Medical Society and for registration information, click here.
