Medical Providers: Join Cuyahoga Valley Wilderness Medicine Group for advanced wilderness medicine training in the heart of CVNP!
This hybrid 30-hour Wilderness Medical Provider (WMP) certification course prepares medical professionals to care for patients in remote and austere environments. Developed by fellowship-trained wilderness medicine experts, the curriculum is based on the latest evidence-based research, including Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) practice guidelines.
The hybrid format combines online modules with videos and readings, followed by 2½ days of in-person didactic and hands-on instruction with expert faculty, immersive experiences focusing on practical skills, workshops, and high-fidelity scenario-based training with role players.
The in-person portion of this course is a “reverse” long-weekend: Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Saturday and Sunday instruction will run from 8am-5pm, and Monday instruction will wrap by 2pm.
Building upon traditional medical skills, the WMP course addresses the unique challenges of wilderness and environmental medicine. Topics include trauma, environmental illnesses, diving injuries, toxicology, and patient movement/packaging (litters, carries, and extrication) among many others. Extensive hands-on, scenario-based learning will complement the lectures. Participants will learn and practice a systematic approach to patient assessment and treatment and explore improvisation techniques using common outdoor equipment for skills like splinting, hemorrhage control, and patient movement. The course will also cover trip planning and wilderness survival considerations.
Your course will be taught by Instructors of the Cuyahoga Valley Wilderness Medicine Group, a volunteer group of local experts from across the medical and public-service spectrums – local to national organizations, Rescue Rangers to Physicians. You’ll have the opportunity to meet, learn from, and learn with over 20 instructors throughout your three days on-site.
Upon completion, participants will demonstrate the skills and adaptability necessary to provide high-quality medical care in wilderness settings, receiving a WMP certification valid for 4 years. The course is approved for 28.25 AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits which are reciprocally accepted by most other licensing agencies (known to be accepted by Ohio EMS and Ohio Board of Nursing, for example). These credits are also approved for FAWM.
Registration Cost (including Deposit):
- $675 for Doctorate Practitioners (MD/DO/MBBS, DVM/DMD, DDS, etc.)
- $525 for Advanced Practitioners and Allies (NP, CRNA, PA, PT, PharmD, etc.)
- $475 for Frontline Providers (EMT, RN, RT, etc.)
- $275 for Students
- Optional: +$75 for the allowable 28.25 CME and FAWM Credit Hours
- Everyone receives their 4 year certification, receiving credit hours is optional
Pre-requisites:
- CPR certification
- Ability to independently take vital signs (including manual BP, pulse, pulse ox)
- Ability to independently assess airway, respirations and circulation (including pulses)
- Experience performing primary and secondary survey or patient assessment
- Experience taking problem focused medical history
- Basic understanding of common classes of medications, administration and indications
- Current clinical provider (EMT, RN, RT, NP, PA, CRNA, PT/DPT, MD/DO/MBBS, DDS/DMD, PharmD, DVM, etc.) or student of one of these disciplines. If you have any questions or doubts, please contact us for guidance.
Expanded List of Topics Covered: Scene Safety and Patient Assessment, Mass Casualty Incidents, Patient Movement, Psychological First-Aid, Hemorrhage Control and Wound Care, Orthopedic Injuries, Head and Spine Care, Ears Noset and Throat Care, Marine and Terrestrial Toxicology, Toxic Plants and Mushrooms, Heat Illness and Hypothermia, Frostbite, Wilderness Survival, Leave No Trace & Food Storage, Water Purification, First Aid Kits, Ultrasound in the Wilderness, Avalanche, Altitude Medicine, Drowning, Dive Medicine, Cave Medicine, Flight Medicine, Mosquito-borne Illness, Tick-borne Illness, GI Illnesses, Travel Medicine, Women in the Wilderness; with optional topics including Shoe and Boot-fitting, Basic Knots, Introduction to Land Navigation, Aerospace Medicine, and Medicine at Sea.
Registration Process:
- Review and Complete the attached Release of Liability. Please let us know any questions, comments, or concerns that you have at this time, before registering.
- Place a Deposit to secure your registration with the non-refundable $35 payment through this page.
- Respond to communication and instructions to pay your remaining Registration Balance of course costs, based on your selections and lodging preferences. All payments must be received at least 4 weeks before the course start date. Payments are non-refundable*.
- You will receive access to digital course materials once your balance is fully-paid.
*What if I can no longer attend? Deposit and Registration Balances are non-refundable once paid. However, a deposit and/or registration balance may certainly be transferred to another student (whom you identify), applied to an alternative group course or offering, deferred to a future offering of the course, or directed to be donated to either the Conservancy for CVNP or Valley Fire Inc. We always recommend Travel/Trip/Event Insurance: Such highly-rated companies as Allianz, IMG, and others offer options from $35-100 with varying coverages, allowances for cancellation, and reimbursement percentages.
Overnight Accommodations
New for 2026 is our ability to offer onsite, overnight accommodations at Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP)! Our very own CVNP, in conjunction with the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, has graciously opened the doors of its 500-acre Environmental Education Center campus to our course. Fully-conditioned bunk-style housing with showers, access to a kitchen, and a large fire ring outside will be available for $40/night at the campus’ secluded and quiet location within the park. Think of the overnight camps you may have experienced as a kid! Many of your instructors will be staying on-site and housing is available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. You will have the option to select overnight accommodations after you pay the deposit.