Building Connections
3 Full Days
34 Presentations
17 Workshops
Canadian Content
CME
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Melissa Lem
The CAWM2023 conference was hosted October 13-15, 2023 at the Penticton Trade and Convention Center in Penticton, BC.
CME credits can be claimed below under the CME tab (available for General Attendance, Royal College, CFPC, Paramedic, and FAWM). Please stay tuned for information on how to access lecture recordings from CAWM 2023.
CAWM2023 was hybrid format (in-person and virtual) with lectures, social activities, a keynote speaker (Dr. Melissa Lem: Prescribing Nature for Patient and Planetary Health), and workshops! A variety of topics were covered including search and rescue, altitude, diving, medical education, mental health, space, mass casualties, airway management in austere environments, and more! A pre-conference WLS:MP course (Wilderness Life Support for Medical Professionals) took place from Oct 11-12.
Wilderness medical professionals and learners with many diverse backgrounds attended including paramedics, nurses, SAR personnel, guides, ski patrollers, first responders, academics, and physicians.
CAWM2023 was provided in English with simultaneous French translation for all lectures.
Attendants will be emailed the password to access videos. If you are an attendant and don't know the password, please contact the CAWM Conferences team by visiting this page or emailing conference@cawm.ca.
Attendants will be emailed the password to access videos. If you are an attendant and don't know the password, please contact the CAWM Conferences team by visiting this page or emailing conference@cawm.ca.
Location
CAWM 2023 will be held at Penticton Trade & Convention Centre in Penticton, BC. The Sandman Hotel Penticton has a discount for CAWM attendees: October 11-October 17, 2023 (book by October 1).
Single Queen with Kitchen Room – $119/night plus tax.
Two Bedded Room - $119/night plus tax.
Please reference BLOCK ID #324704 or GROUP CODE 2310CAWM20.
Pre-Conference Courses
List of Events
Click an event below to scroll down to it automatically.
- Oct 11 & 12 0700-1630 - WLS:MP (Wilderness Life Support for Medical Providers, Formerly Known as AWLS)
- Oct 12 0800 - Skaha Rock Climbing Lead Clinic
- Oct 12 1630 - Social: Mountain Biking Shuttle to 3 Blind Mice (Freedom Bike Shop)
- Oct 12 1830 - Social: Registration and Meet and Greet
WLS:MP (Wilderness Life Support for Medical Providers, Formerly Known as AWLS)
When: Oct 11 and 12 approximately 0700-1630h
Instructors: Dr. Alana Hawley (lead), Dr. Lynne Hoole, Dr. Kendra Young, Dr. Heather Filek
Description: The Wilderness Life Support for the Medical Professional (WLS:MP) course is designed to provide medical professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage medical emergencies in remote and wilderness settings. The curriculum of the WLS:MP course follows the most up-to-date guidelines and best practices set forth by the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS).
The WLS:MP course covers a wide range of topics such as patient assessment, wound management, musculoskeletal injuries, environmental emergencies, and much more. Participants will also learn how to improvise medical equipment, communicate effectively, and make decisions in situations where resources are limited. Taking the WLS:MP course is important for anyone who may find themselves in a wilderness or remote setting, including medical professionals, outdoor guides, search and rescue personnel, and anyone else who enjoys spending time in the outdoors. By learning how to manage medical emergencies in these environments, individuals can better prepare themselves to respond effectively in case of an emergency. Participants will gain valuable knowledge and skills that can help them save lives and prevent medical emergencies from escalating in remote and wilderness settings. It is a comprehensive and practical course that can provide individuals with the confidence and ability to handle medical emergencies in situations where resources are limited.
Accreditation: WLS:MP certification (valid for 4 years), FAWM credits available
Skaha Rock Climbing Lead Clinic
Date & Time: Oct 12 at 0800h
Description: Using the local crags of the Skaha Bluffs, we will develop the technical skills required to belay, lead and clean single pitch sport climbs. We will also help you develop your climbing skills to be able to efficiently move across the rock while leading. Many rock climbers have completed their first lead on this outdoor climbing class. Outdoor lead climbing requires an entirely different focus than seconding or top roping and this course will cover the curriculum to develop your lead climbing skills. You should be an active gym climber or outdoor climber, familiar with top-rope belay systems. You should be comfortable climbing 5.7. The course fee includes the use of rock shoes and technical gear although you should feel free to bring any gear you already have.
Presented by: Tim Ricci/ IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide
Social: Mountain Biking Shuttle to 3 Blind Mice (Freedom Bike Shop)
Date & Time: Oct 12 at 1630h
Description: Meet at Freedom Bike Shop at 1630h with your bike and all personal safety equipment to catch a shuttle up to Rusty Muffler or Reservoir parking lot in Three Blind Mice! Riders should be able to comfortably ride blue trails. This adventure is not formally guided. You can follow one of our local CAWM Conference committee members on the trails or you can ride on your own! It ends at Poplar Grove parking lot where you can catch the shuttle back or you could just ride along the Kettle Valley Railway all the way to the social at Neighbourhood Brewing! Bike rentals are available at Freedom Bike Shop (please call ahead to book your rental). Download the Trailforks app so you don't get lost. See you on the trails!
Social: Registration and Meet and Greet
Date & Time: Oct 12 at 1830h
Description: Meet and Greet with the Board, Conference committee, and fellow attendees at Neighbourhood Brewing
List of Friday Events
Click an event below to scroll down to it automatically.
- 0800 - North of 50 @ -40: Peak Performance in Austere Resuscitation & Rescue
- 0900 - Crossing The Divide: Transitioning From Search To Rescue
- 1000 - Break
- 1030 - Making the Case for Integrated Wilderness Medicine Curricula in Traditional Medical Education
- 1100 - Bringing Big-City Prehospital Medicine Into the Wilderness Environment: Lessons from London's Air Ambulance
- 1130 - The Evolving Mental Health Needs in Outdoor Education
- 1200 - Lunch
- 1300 - Extravehicular Activity in Space - Protocols and Experience
- 1400 - Medical-Legal Issues in Wilderness Medicine
- 1500 - Break
- 1530 - Domestic Emergency Response Unit - Applications in Remote Locations
- 1600 - Fire! Fire! Fire! Medical Response to a Massive Fire in an Austere Environment
- 1630 - The Psychology of Elites
- 1700 - So, You Have Trench Foot: A Practical Guide to Not Panicking
- 1730 - Emergency Transfusion of Whole Blood in Austere Settings: New Tool in Canadian Forward Aeromedical Evacuation
- 1900 - Social event at Slackwater Brewing
North of 50 @ -40: Peak Performance in Austere Resuscitation & Rescue
When: 0800h
Description: Resuscitation and Rescue are demanding, stressful events. When performed in a resource austere environment the challenge is enormously magnified. Cognitive load is increased and cognitive bandwidth saturated due to less personnel, less equipment, time sensitive situations and high consequence outcomes. Often our traditional methods of learning and teaching do not necessarily take this into account, and can affect our performance. Based on discussion with EMCrit and 25 years of experience in remote & austere environments, this presentation will explore the objective roadblocks faced and other concrete steps and solutions to optimize these high stress situations.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify barriers to resuscitation and rescue in austere environments
- Specify the factors leading to cognitive overload and decreased cognitive bandwidth
- Describe principles to optimize austere resuscitation & rescue
- List specific organization & training strategies to optimize performance under pressure
Presented by: Kavi Singh/MD CCFP-EM DIMM
Crossing The Divide: Transitioning From Search To Rescue
When: 0900h
Description: During a search and rescue operation, making the transition from the search phase to the rescue phase can be challenging and is often a period of confusion that can lead to a delay in completing the entire evolution. Challenges in planning and switching between search and rescue resources, resource availability, search location, and time of day, among other factors can influence the transition between search and rescue operations. This presentation will examine both of these phases along with areas that can be addressed at both the incident command level and by the rescuers in the field. Experiences from previous searches will be incorporated.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the pathway to transition from a search evolution to a rescue evolution.
- Compare and contrast the resource requirements needed for the search evolution and the rescue evolution.
- Identify points of vulnerability that lead to a systematic failure in the transition between the search evolution and the rescue
evolution. - Identify psychological factors that influence the mental transition from search to rescue operation phases at both the Incident
Command level and the field team member level.
Presented by: Alex Borzok/DNP, FNP-BC, PHRN
Break
Making the Case for Integrated Wilderness Medicine Curricula in Traditional Medical Education
When: 1030h
Description: In most medical schools in Canada, formal Wilderness Medicine education is uncommon and often entirely absent. In this session, Dr. Roy will explore how the field of Medicine, as a whole, could benefit from integrating Wilderness Medicine curricula into traditional medical education. Topics will include what needs to happen for Wilderness Medicine to be more widely recognized as a specialized area of medical competence and training, how incorporation of Wilderness Medicine curricula into undergraduate, post-graduate, and subspecialist training prepares trainees better for the real world practice, and how more widespread acceptance of Wilderness Medicine would benefit patients in the modern era.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe how Wilderness Medical Education can enhance practice in traditional medical environments and specialties,
- Describe the relevance of Wilderness Medical Education in the era of climate change,
- Identify medical skills and knowledge that can be enhanced by consideration or practice in extreme and resource poor
environments.
Presented by: Steven Roy/ MDCM, DiMM, DiMEM, DiWEM, DipROM, MRAeS, FAWM, FRGS, FRCPC
Bringing Big-City Prehospital Medicine Into the Wilderness Environment: Lessons from London's Air Ambulance
When: 1100h
Description: We will first review a model of high-acuity prehospital care, drawing inspiration from the renowned London's Air Ambulance service. We will discuss the human factors and crew resource management concepts as they apply to a high resource prehospital environment and how we can transfer and apply those concepts to teams operating in remote and austere environments. This talk will explore the intersection between high resource urban emergency medicine and wilderness care.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand high acuity prehospital care in London, UK
- Understand human factors and crew resource management concepts in high acuity resuscitation care
- Review ideas to enhance your medical team's performance in remote and austere settings
Presented by: Jamin Mulvey/ FANZCA, MPH&TM, DIMM, MBBS(Hons), BSc(Hons)
The Evolving Mental Health Needs in Outdoor Education
When: 1130h
Description: Over the past 5 to 10 years there has been a growing need for mental health care in the backcountry. Outdoor education providers and backcountry guiding companies are experiencing increasing demands for mental health care. Unfortunately, traditional wilderness first responder training does not provide mental health training. This gap between needs and capacity is challenging the outdoor industry. Outward Bound Canada (OBC) is a large provider of diverse outdoor education programs across Canada. As part of an international organization, OBC is required to track all medical related incidents and publish an annual safety report. This multi-year data base provides an excellent insight into this quickly evolving backcountry care need. An analysis of this database will be presented. The increasing frequency of mental health demands will be discussed. As well, the database contains excellent examples of the complex mental health needs of outdoor program participants. Case studies will be presented to illustrate these challenges facing the outdoor education industry. The presentation will then discuss the current capacity of backcountry guides to provide mental health care. Gap in our current mental health care training will be identified. Finally, OBC will be used as an example of how outdoor organizations can adapt to meet the increasing demands for mental health care in the outdoor education industry.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Review and appraise the current literature regarding the presentation of mental health concerns in outdoor education and adventure industries.
- Use the incident data base of Outward Bound Canada to evaluate the incident rate and severity of mental health concerns and its changes over the past 5 to 7 years.
- Identify the significant knowledge gap of mental health issues as they present in the outdoor industry and discuss novel training programs to address these gaps.
Presented by: Len James/ACP
Lunch
Extravehicular Activity in Space - Protocols and Experience
When: 1300h
Description: Extravehicular activity (EVA; spacewalking) is conducted in low pressure suits, which creates substantial decompression stress in astronauts. A variety of oxygen breathing protocols have been developed to reduce the health and safety risk. This presentation will review the evolution and use of different protocols throughout the era of manned spaceflight.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Enumerate the key differences in decompression for divers and spacewalking astronauts
- Describe the current protocols to ensure safe decompression of spacewalking astronauts
- Discuss the impact of physical activity at various phases related to decompression.
Presented by: Neal Pollock/PhD
Medical-Legal Issues in Wilderness Medicine
When: 1400h
Description: What are the types of legal "trouble" you can get into while performing wilderness medicine (heli ski, ski patrol, SAR, international expeditions, even personal-recreational trips) and in what ways are you protected / how can you best protect yourself.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify possible "sources" of medical-legal trouble in mountain medicine
- Identify likely sources of coverage to protect themselves from such "trouble", as well as be familiar with related insurance coverage issues
- Describe common issues arising for medical professionals on international expeditions, including licensing issues, liability protection, and medication (narcotics ) issues
Presented by: Ryan Morasiewicz/B.Sc., JD. GSAR, GSTL
Break
Domestic Emergency Response Unit - Applications in Remote Locations
When: 1530h
Description: I currently work for the Canadian Red Cross and we are continuing to develop our Emergency Response Unit capabilities within Canada. We currently work with a number of Indigenous Communities and we would like to explore more ways to connect with medical professionals on how to impact hard to access communities. Our ERU is currently capable of deploying a field hospital with a variety of clinical equipment, a Vaccination Operation Module and a testing and tracing module as well. As we move out of the COVID age, we are looking to develop new ways to serve the emergency health needs of Canadians by engaging with a host of different actors to evolve our current service lines.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand that the Canadian Red Cross Emergency Response Unit is a viable option to help deliver emergency health care to Canadians in the event of a disaster, or even to ensure access to health care in hard to access communities.
- Understand the innovation that is possible in providing this type of care to communities across Canada
- Engage with the innovative processes, challenges and solutions to providing health care in hard to access areas and to meet the needs of those who reside there
Presented by: Michael Girard/Emergency Response Unit Manager (Canada)
Fire! Fire! Fire! Medical Response to a Massive Fire in an Austere Environment
When: 1600h
Description: The massive engine room fire in HMCS PROTECTEUR in the mid-Pacific in 2014 required a large scale firefighting response and resulted in widespread exposure to hazards including smoke, heat, physical demands, and psychological trauma. As the medical lead for the mass casualty response, Maj Whittaker will discuss medical team extenders, exposure monitoring tools
and approaches, and mental health surveillance.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the role of medical team extenders in a mass casualty scenario
- Identify available tools and approaches for monitoring exposure to heat, carbon monoxide, and cyanide
- Recognize the strengths and pitfalls of post-incident mental health surveillance.
Presented by: Stuart Whittaker/CD BEng MD CCFP DAvMed ACBOM
The Psychology of Elites
When: 1630h
Description: The psychological aspect of elite performance is well recognized mostly for both team and individual sports but also within high-performance military and civilian settings such as special operations, medical and rescue teams. This presentation discusses the features and outcomes of both positive and maladaptive psychology in elite groups with particular reference to high stress situations in austere environments and the possible effects on team dynamics and performance.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Recognize both positive and maladaptive psychology in team environment
- Identify circumstances where team dynamics are impacted either positively or negatively
- Apply the concepts to correct maladaptive circumstances
Presented by: Richard Grainger/MD CCFP(EM)
So, You Have Trench Foot: A Practical Guide to Not Panicking
When: 1700h
Description: What comes to mind when you hear the term trench foot? Perhaps an antiquated name for a medical issue that no longer troubles North Americans? You would be wrong. Trench foot is alive and well; in the military, on our city streets and lurking in the mountains, awaiting unwary hikers.
This presentation will discuss the epidemiology/pathophysiology of non-freezing cold and immersion injuries. Then, the recognition, treatment and complications will be examined. Also, an overview of the prevalence amongst the unhoused (D’Souza, O’Mahony & Achoba, 2021), the military (Mendes et al, 2017) and in a wilderness environment will follow. Lastly, a “fact or fiction” section will debunk misconceptions.
This is an important discussion because this condition can be insidious, difficult to recognise and, if left untreated in a wilderness environment, can result in serious and debilitating sequelae: pain, nerve damage, wounds, and infection (Zafren, 2021). For instance, chronic pain from severe non-freezing cold injury has been documented to be career-ending in a significant number of patients (Vale et al., 2017).
Finally, the prevention of moisture, cold and pressure-induced foot afflictions will be covered as only the Canadian Forces can. This will include specific measures that have been found to be effective in the literature such as nutrition, activity and “buddy checking” (Anand et al., 2017). A thorough, slightly tongue-in-cheek, soapbox speech about hygiene, foot powder, and so many extra socks will generate not only laughter, but impart practical, easy, and memorable lessons for preventing trench foot.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Recognize that non-freezing cold injury is prevalent in specific populations and is an important condition for wilderness medicine practitioners to be aware of;
- Understand the basics of treating these types of injuries, with specific focus on preventing complications; and
- Put simple preventions into practice and promote foot health for themselves, their team, and their patients.
Presented by: Captain Bobbi Wiens/RN BScN and Matthew Mercer/RN
Emergency Transfusion of Whole Blood in Austere Settings: New Tool in Canadian Forward Aeromedical Evacuation
When: 1730h
Description: In the Spring of 2023 the Canadian Armed Forces authorized a system utilizing emergency whole blood transfusion in the domestic forward aeromedical evacuation setting. This capability was deployed subsequently within Canadian national military exercises near Wainwright, Alberta for 5 consecutive weeks. Canadian Blood Services supplied timed, single donor, leuko-reduced blood packages from Ottawa through a developed cold chain to a helicopter based Physician-Medic AE team with a 20min notice-to-move to emergencies at point-of-injury.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Develop an understanding of challenges involved in the 'cold chain' of getting a safe whole blood supply into an austere Canadian setting for emergency prehospital use.
- Develop an improved knowledge on the advantages of utilizing whole blood in emergency DCR settings in comparison to a fractionated blood supply.
- Develop an improved knowledge of a successful Canadian Physician-Medic aeromedical evacuation configuration.
Presented by: Andrew McLaren/BSc. MD FRCPC CCM ACP Flt.Surg
Social event at Slackwater Brewing
When: 1900h
Tickets are $10 and include a drink ticket
List of Saturday Events
Click an event below to scroll down to it automatically.
- 0800 - Reflex Tasking for a Busy Day - 16 Calls in One Saturday Day
- 0830 - Wilderness Medicine in Japan
- 0900 - Dive Medicine and Beyond: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Primer for Wilderness Medicine Providers
- 1000 - Crotalid Envenomation
- 1100 - A Needs Assessment and Development of a Multidisciplinary Planetary Health and Wilderness Medicine Curriculum
- 1130 - Management of finger repetitive stress epiphyseal fractures in adolescent sport climbers
- 1300 - CAWM Updates and Awards
- 1320 - Giardia: What We Still Don’t Know about the Dreaded Beaver Fever
- 1340 - Can we improve on “freeze in January, amputate in July”: Evaluation of iloprost treatment for frostbite in Saskatchewan
- 1400 - Red Eye in the Wilderness - Do's and Don'ts
- 1530 - What Would You Do? Case Studies From The Field
- 1630 - A system for horizontal and gentle extrication of a patient from a narrow crevasse
- 1730 - Keynote Speaker: Prescribing Nature for Patient and Planetary Health
Reflex Tasking for a Busy Day - 16 Calls in One Saturday Day
When: 0800h
Description: Review a busy day in the Kananaskis region and how calls are managed and triaged while responding. A review of the types of injuries, deployment of assets and how calls are prioritized based on response time, urgency, and injury type as well as availability of resources. The day involved a few severely injured persons as well as a few stranded with potential for serious injury events.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand reflex tasking and how it can be used successfully to manage events
- Understand how multiple severe injuries can be managed within one team/helicopter
- Understand stress management of teams and the use of simliarly trained teams and application across a mountainous
region.
Presented by: Mike Koppang/CAA Professional, ACMG
Wilderness Medicine in Japan
When: 0830h
Description: It was September 2007 when Outward Bound Japan hosted the first Wilderness Medicine course in Japan. After 16 years, although the Japanese public understanding of first aid training and professional EMS practice of emergency medicine is significantly below the North American standard, Wilderness Medicine training is now recognized and selected by many Japanese industries for their pre-requisite and mandatory certificate to hold. Japanese paramedicine differs significantly from how we practice in Canada and the U.S. Japanese paramedics can practice only a single medication. It is Epinephrine administration to a post-cardiac arrest patient. They cannot give it to anaphylactic patients. Their spine immobilization protocol stays the same as what we practiced 20 years ago. Still today, most Japanese general public perceives first aid training as a few hours long CPR course provided by their local Fire Department, which charges only $5 for the course tuition. Unlike North American occupational first aid courses, which are up to 80hrs long, the most extended urban first aid training that Japanese people can take is 8hrs long. North American EMS and urban first aid training have improved significantly over the past 20 years. They have adopted some essential Wilderness Medicine procedures and protocols to their practice. On the other hand, Japanese EMS practice and urban first aid training have mostly stayed the same.
Despite no Good Samaritan Law in Japan, a record of litigation involving emergency medical care in the outdoor setting is scarce. Under this circumstance, in Japan, we see many industries and different levels of government bodies sponsoring Wilderness Medicine courses and proactively setting these training as their standard practice. I explore how Wilderness Medicine will be able to influence and change Japanese society, EMS, and urban first aid training.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the difference between North American and Japanese standards of Wilderness Medicine training, urban first aid training, and EMS practice.
- Understand the diversity of Wilderness Medicine by comparing its history and development in North America and Japan.
- Identify the possibility of Wilderness Medicine training in different countries.
Presented by: Taito Inagaki/MD and Takuya Ota/PCP
Dive Medicine and Beyond: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Primer for Wilderness Medicine Providers
When: 0900h
Description: The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society defines the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as treatment of an injury or medical condition by breathing 100% oxygen under increased ambient pressure. There are currently 14 approved indications for HBOT, of which diving injuries account for only 2. Many of these indications may be initially managed by a wilderness medicine provider, including carbon monoxide poisoning, traumatic ischemias, acute thermal burn injuries, diving injuries, soft tissue infections.
At the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the mechanisms of action of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and common equipment used
- Identify the UHMS approved indications for HBOT
- Identify potential complications/side effects of HBOT
- Understand absolute and relative contraindications to HBOT
Presented by: Kaighley Brett, MD, CCFP
Break
Crotalid Envenomation
When: 1030h
Description: It is important to realize that many misconceptions exist regarding envenomation and what various venoms do. Additionally there are many field treatments that are dangerous and harmful. This presentation concludes with a case study in which I was the EMS provider.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify proper treatment guidelines for treatment of snake envenomation's
- Understand that snake venoms have extremely variable and complex combinations, especially in the Viperidae family
- Recognize proper vs improper field treatments and be aware of the potential for anaphylactic reactions.
Presented by: Jeffrey Reeser/FP-C, TP-C, CP-C, CCEMT-P, NRP
A Needs Assessment and Development of a Multidisciplinary Planetary Health and Wilderness Medicine Curriculum
When: 1100h
Description: In Canada, there is a lack of wilderness medicine and planetary health training for postgraduate medical learners and all front-line healthcare workers. In order to address this gap, a Needs Assessment of Postgraduate Emergency Medicine learners and multidisciplinary frontline health care workers in Northern Ontario was undertaken to determine current knowledge and gaps in knowledge regarding planetary health and wilderness medicine related emergencies. The results of the Needs Assessment were used to guide the development of an in-situ, multidisciplinary bootcamp style curriculum aimed at addressing these current knowledge gaps. This presentation will highlight the current state of wilderness medicine and planetary health education for
front-line healthcare workers, and will delve into how we plan to develop a standardized curriculum to ensure appropriate knowledge and skills regarding wilderness medicine and planetary health emergencies.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the current state of wilderness medicine and planetary health training for postgraduate medical learners in Canada.
- Describe the gaps in planetary health and wilderness medicine training for multidisciplinary frontline healthcare workers.
- Describe a proposed curriculum designed to standardize planetary health and wilderness medicine education for multidisciplinary frontline healthcare workers.
Presented by: Erin Creasor/MD CCFP-EM
Management of finger repetitive stress epiphyseal fractures in adolescent sport climbers
When: 1130h
Description: Finger repetitive stress fracture of the middle phalanx epiphysis is an injury specific to elite adolescent climbers. As sport climbing becomes increasingly popular in younger age groups, an increased number of these injuries have been reported in recent years. This talk will cover the overall management of these challenging injuries, including prevention, evaluation and treatment, in both the acute and chronic fracture setting. Key learning points will be highlighted through clinical cases and a recently developed management algorithm.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Learn how best to prevent finger repetitive stress epiphyseal fractures in young climbers
- Learn how to evaluate young climbers presenting with finger pain
- Learn treatment options available for finger repetitive stress epiphyseal fractures
Presented by: Yasser El-Sheikh/BSc (Kinesiology) MD FRCSC
Lunch
Giardia: What We Still Don’t Know about the Dreaded Beaver Fever
When: 1320h
Description: Around 800 infections of Giardia are reported to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control every year. This number is likely much higher because infections that occur in the backcountry are often not reported or diagnosed. It is challenging to understand the true impact of Giardia on hikers and campers in Western Canada. More research is needed to study the transmission patterns of Giardia in the backcountry and the best methods for prevention. This presentation will address the current body of literature on Giardia in Canada and important areas for future research. The Giardia parasite likes to live in feces and cold water and can be passed to humans through contaminated water and food. Humans can contract Giardia in the backcountry by drinking untreated water, swimming in lake water, and eating without washing hands. Upon ingestion, the Giardia parasite colonizes the human intestinal tract and can trigger a diarrheal illness that may last for months.
Drinking untreated water is often emphasized as the major source for Giardia infection in the backcountry. However, despite this being the predominant message communicated to the public, research is surprisingly inconclusive as to how much untreated water actually contributes to Giardia infection. The majority of Giardia cases in the backcountry may actually be caused by poor hand hygiene with fecal contamination. More research is needed to track Giardia cases and their sources in Western Canada. This research is critical in order to understand prevention strategies and the best message to communicate with the public.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the pathophysiology of Giardia infection
- Understand the incidence and prevention of Giardia infection in the backcountry
Presented by: Tali Glazer/Medical Student and Liam Connors/Medical student
Can we improve on “freeze in January, amputate in July”: Evaluation of iloprost treatment for frostbite in Saskatchewan
When: 1340h
Description: During the Fall of 2022, the emergency department at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon established a protocol for treating frostbite. Prior to this, very few patients with Grade 2-4 frostbite received iloprost. We conducted a retrospective chart review to assess the use of iloprost before and after the protocolization and analyzed patient outcomes in terms of amputation rates. We identified that frostbite treatment in Saskatoon presents unique challenges due to patient factors, distinguishing it from the treatment landscape at other Canadian institutions. We recommend harm reduction strategies to optimize treatment outcomes for patients with frostbite injuries secondary to mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Our primary outcome results are pending and will be available within the next three months. We also plan to present qualitative data from practitioners on the challenges and barriers encountered when implementing the protocol.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Recognize the potential benefit of treating Grade 2-4 frostbite with iloprost
- Identify risk factors for amputation in frostbite injury
- Utilize harm reduction techniques for maximizing treatment success in frostbite injury
- Formulate a plan for implementing an iloprost treatment protocol at their local institution
- Assess barriers to the implementation of a new, resource-intensive, treatment protocol in a tertiary care center
Presented by: Michael Verdirame/MD and Breanne Paul/MD
Red Eye in the Wilderness - Do's and Don'ts
When: 1400h
Description: Ocular problems can complicate any wilderness experience. Issues range from minor insults that can be easily managed in place to vision-threatening conditions that require rapid evacuation for best outcome. This presentation will consider strategies for prevention, recognition, and management of both common and high-risk scenarios.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify the nature of different types of trauma and pathologies encountered in wilderness
- Discuss the management of common and serious eye traumas and pathological conditions
- Enumerate strategies to protect against the most common eye problems in austere environments.
Presented by: Elise Bergeron/MD, FRCSC
Break
What Would You Do? Case Studies From The Field
When: 1530h
Description: Interactive talk presenting cases and allowing the audience to choose a management option before going on to explain what I did and why. Potential cases include a C2 fracture at sea, Intracranial bleed with GCS 3 in a storm at sea, part thumb amputation on a moving ship, AF vs seasickness with conflicting treatments, soldier on a turrent gun in an MVA, pre-hopital(ish) thoracotomy with 3 instruments, peri-mortem c-section.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Appreciate the value of identifying areas within a setting that are lacking and anticipate and mitigate for those deficiencies before a problem arises.
- Compare the feasibility of using published guidelines and protocols within the austere environments vs in hospital.
- Assess the cases presented and compare their ideas on treatment with that provided in the field.
- Re-evaluate knee-jerk reactions to a treatment option chosen in the face of multiple challenges, for a more considered approach to critiquing decisions made under stressful circumstances/under pressure.
Presented by: Lynne Hoole/MBChB, DCH, DipPEC, DA, FAWM)
A system for horizontal and gentle extrication of a patient from a narrow crevasse
When: 1630h
Description: Rescue and care of cold patients requires gentle handling and achieving a horizontal position as soon as possible to avoid rescue collapse and death. This is particularly difficult in confined spaces such as when someone is wedged in a crevasse. A novel Crevasse Horizonal Extraction System (CHES) is described that allows the transition to a horizontal position after the
patient is unwedged but before being raised to the surface. The CHES includes a chest harness, and head and leg supports to achieve and maintain a horizontal position. It can be built from commercial products with some adaptations or manufactured specifically for this purpose. The extrication procedure can be easily learned by trained personnel in a simulated crevasse but
should be mastered in field conditions. Instructions are provided to construct the CHES and a simulated crevasse for training. A novel aspect of this system is that it can be used in a narrow space (as little as 30 cm wide) by transitioning the patient to horizontal in a sideways position. However, it would be valuable not only in a narrow crevasse, but in any crevasse where commercial extrication devices are not available. Spinal injury must be considered during this procedure. Proper use of the CHES facilitates gentle extrication to the snow surface and could minimize some of the factors leading to rescue collapse and death.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the mechanisms for post rescue collapse
- Understand the importance in minimizing post rescue collapse during crevasse extraction of a wedged patient
- Understand the importance of transitioning a patient to a horizontal position as soon as possible during the extraction process
- Be familiar with a new system to transition a patient to a horizontal position, even in a narrow crevasse
Presented by: Gordon Giesbrecht/PhD, FAWM, FAsMA
Keynote Speaker: Prescribing Nature for Patient and Planetary Health
When: 1730h
Description: Nature prescriptions are being written by healthcare professionals across the planet, from Scotland to Japan to the United States. And rightly so: from improved blood pressure and immune function to reduced stress and ADHD symptoms, the evidence is growing about the health benefits of green time.
In November 2020 the BC Parks Foundation launched PaRx, Canada's national nature prescription program, within British Columbia. Less than two years later it had spread to all ten provinces. Dr. Lem will discuss research highlights from the wide-ranging body of knowledge on nature and health, present an overview of PaRx, including its significant national and international influence, and reveal how prescribing nature can improve both patient and planetary health.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe and discuss key points from the current body of research on how connecting patients to nature improves health
- Identify key ways to motivate patients to connect to nature, and the wider planetary health benefits
- Apply knowledge about how to integrate nature prescriptions within your own practice
Presented by: Melissa Lem, MD, CCFP, FCFP
List of Sunday Events
Click an event below to scroll down to it automatically.
- 0700 - Breakfast and CAWM Annual General Meeting
- 0800 - Festival Medicine -- The Remote / Austere ICU
- 0830 - Northern Perspectives: Wilderness and Community Medicine
- 0900 - So You Want to get High
- 1030 - Backcountry Procedural Sedation: Cowboy or Quality Care
- 1130 - 25 years of Medical Calls on the North Shore Mountains
- 1200 - Lunch
- 1300 - “The Arctic is that barometer of health for the planet”: exploring the climate health impacts and opportunities in Northern Canada
- 1320 - Conducting care for lightning injuries: incidence, mechanism, and management
- 1340 - Surviving Red Tide: Dinoflagellate Poisonings, their Treatment and Avoidance
- 1400 - The Heuristics of Fear and Uncertainty
- 1500 - From Bears to Bombs: Transitioning from Wilderness Medicine to Conflict Area Humanitarian Medicine
- 1600 - Wrap up
Festival Medicine -- The Remote / Austere ICU
When: 0800h
Description: With increasing attendance and media attention, large-scale electronic dance music events (EDMEs) are a subset of mass gatherings that have a unique risk profile for attendees and medical providers. These often take place in a remote or rural setting with associated considerations for the delivery of critical care in an austere environment. This presentation will examine the
medical response at a multi-day electronic music festival where dedicated medical care is delivered as a harm reduction and public health measure. The presentation will focus on building and delivering quality care and best practices in a challenging out of hospital environment, while minimizing support from and effects on local existing health care infrastructure.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand case mix and challenges of delivering medical care for music festival participants.
- Understand common clinical presentations including toxicology (seizure, agitation, decreased level of consciousness) and others.
- Consider training considerations for remote delivery of this high level care on site, and the transport considerations when cases get outside the scope of on site capabilities.
Presented by: Brendan Munn/MD
Northern Perspectives: Wilderness and Community Medicine
When: 0830h
Description: Wilderness and austere medicine in the Canadian context is not always connected to recreational activities. Certain communities simply exists in truly remote environments. The Canadian Arctic provides a geographically, politically and logistically challenging environment to practice medicine. practice medicine. As it is not often included in the common narrative of wilderness medicine, this presentation will provide an opportunity to examine the parameters of Arctic medicine through an overview of the framework of care, interesting cases and important reflections.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify the similarities and differences between providing care community healthcare in the Arctic communities/settings
versus other austere environments - Apply a critical lens to providing healthcare to marginalized and under-resourced communities in Canada
- Reflect on the breath of clinical and non-clinical experiences the Arctic has to offer
Presented by: Aimée Bouka/MD, MSc, DTM&H, CCFP
So You Want to get High
When: 0900h
Description: A practical approach to traveling to altitude for recreation or as a physician with a group. overview of travel to altitude and recommended ascent profiles. Treatments for the prevention and treatment of altitude illness. Medications to consider carrying with you for treatment.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand guidelines for traveling to altitude
- Understand ascent profiles to prevent altitude illness based on recommended guidelines and review practical examples of what this would look like on popular treks
- Understand prophylaxis to prevent altitude illness if unable to follow recommended guidelines for ascent
- Develop an approach to treatment for altitude illness if it occurs Recommendations of what to bring in your medical kit as a medical provider
Presented by: Carolyn Kelly-Smith/MD, FRCPC Emergency Medicine, DiMM
Break
Backcountry Procedural Sedation: Cowboy or Quality Care
When: 1030h
Description: A case base tour of managing difficult procedures and severe pain in austere rescue environments; with a focus on consent, risks, benefits, time pressures and managing cognitive load.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the special challenges of performing procedural sedation in austere rescue environments.
- Compare the risks and benefits of no analgesia, multi-modal analgesia vs. procedural sedation in austere rescue environments.
- Consider the pros and cons of Ketamine procedural sedation in the austere rescue environment.
Presented by: Doug Brown/MD FRCPC
25 years of Medical Calls on the North Shore Mountains
When: 1130h
Description: Our research group completed a review of 25 years of North Shore Rescue callouts encompassing 1995 to 2020 focussing on the nature of medical calls and the mode of extrication. I'd like to share that data (which was also published in WEM) and discuss our current advanced medical provider program that includes 10 physicians, 2 nurses, and 1 pharmacist.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the most common injuries
- Describe the evolution of the mode of extrication of casualties used by North Shore Rescue
- Understand medical supplies and medications North Shore Rescue found most useful
- Develop an understanding of the challenges North Shore Rescue faced in keeping our medication supply stock complete, in-date, and ready for use.
Presented by: Michael Crickmer/FRCP-EM, DIMM
Lunch
“The Arctic is that barometer of health for the planet”: exploring the climate health impacts and opportunities in Northern Canada
When: 1300h
Description: As a family medicine resident based in the subarctic with years of experience in the planetary health sphere, Dr. Celia Walker will explore some of the challenges climate change is imposing on the health of northern populations. Northern Canada is warming at 3x the global average and the environmental and health impacts are wide reaching. From changes in wildlife migration patterns and traditional hunting practices leading to food insecurity, to extreme wildfires events displacing communities and causing substantial ecological grief, Dr. Walker will touch on some of the direct/indirect health impacts climate change is having on Canada’s northern inhabitants. Celia will draw on some of her own stories from her family medicine training across Nunavut
and the Territories and hopes to honour and center the invaluable traditional knowledge of those who have been living in the north since time immemorial. The extremes of the seasons, the wide scale resource extraction, and the exponential warming makes it impossible for people deeply connected to the northern wilderness not to notice the anthropogenic degradation of the
land. These same factors also make the north uniquely situated for training physicians to be prepared to practice in the climate crisis, informing emerging climate policy, and fostering hope of a healthy future.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Define Planetary Health
- Understand the four tiers of climate change related impacts to health and health systems
- Identify why northern populations are vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change and provide three examples
- Recognize the north as uniquely situated to train family medicine residents to practice in a climate crisis
- Explore details of the Yellowknife family medicine program, the only subarctic residency training program in North America
- Engrain that cultural safety and traditional knowledge are essential to addressing the climate crisis at a global scale and managing the downstream impacts at a local scale
Presented by: Celia Walker/MD, MSc
Conducting care for lightning injuries: incidence, mechanism, and management
When: 1320h
Description: Every year there are over two million lightning strikes in Canada. Thankfully in recent years this has only translated to about 2-3 deaths per year across the country due to increases in prevention, but lightning still leads to hundreds of injuries in Canada yearly. These injuries are also widely underreported so the true incidence is somewhat unknown. Fatalities and injuries largely occur in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Ontario with 90% of fatalities occurring in these four provinces alone. Thus the understanding of the mechanism and primary management of lightning injuries is particularly important in these provinces. In wilderness medicine a key component of providing care involves assessing the scene and triaging. Lightning strikes prove to be unique in both of these domains, as the scene poses several key difficulties and triaging actually occurs in a reverse mechanism, whereby any patients who appear to be dead should receive resuscitation events first. Additionally, lightning strikes are characterized as a high voltage injury, yet they differ from other injuries in that the duration is much shorter so the injuries are primarily external rather than internal, known as the flashover effect. This results in lightning strikes having a lower mortality than other high voltage injuries but a substantially higher morbidity. This talk will discuss the 7 different mechanisms of lightning strike, tips when diagnosis is unclear at the scene, the recommended reverse triage system, important components of initial assessment, and the need for subsequent hospitalization due to the polytrauma nature of lightning strikes.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the incidence of lightning injuries and death across Canada
- Understand the most common types of injuries
- Understand how to manage lightning injuries in the field.
Presented by: Samantha Brazier/BSc (Medical Sciences), Medical Student and Stephanie de Waal/ BScKin, Medical Student
Surviving Red Tide: Dinoflagellate Poisonings, their Treatment and Avoidance
When: 1340h
Description: Dinoflagellate poisonings are a diverse group of toxidromes caused by ingestion of contaminated seafood, most commonly molluscs and reef-dwelling fish. Symptoms can range from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to death, and are estimated to affect in excess of 25,000 individuals every year. This talk will provide the life-saving knowledge required to identify, avoid, and manage dinoflagellate poisonings in both emergency department and resource-limited environments.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Differentiate between the primary types of dinoflagellate poisoning
- Understand the geographic distribution of dinoflagellate poisonings
- Diagnose dinoflagellate poisoning based on a history and brief physical examination
- Manage shellfish poisonings in a variety of settings, including the emergency department and resource limited environments
Presented by: Scott Bell/MD PhD
The Heuristics of Fear and Uncertainty
When: 1400h
Description: Familiarity, Consistency, Acceptance, the Expert Halo, Scarcity, and Social Facilitation have been identified as part of the human factor involved in accidents, close calls, and near misses. By learning to identify, recognize and understand these behaviours in ourselves and the people around us. We can make safer decisions in rescue work. Jen will be sharing personal stories, lessons learnt and three case studies for the audience to participate in that come from 20 years of experience in the field. Join in for a good time and in hopes that you catch yourself before making a fatal error in judgment.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Define what a heuristics traps is, how they affect our decision making in stressful situations.
- Use methods to identify five mental shortcuts we all use such as Familiarity, Acceptance, Commitment, Expert Halo, and Scarcity.
- Gain self awareness on when they are exhibiting these patterns and be able to recognize them in others, to avoid making fatal errors in judgement.
Presented by: Jennifer Godbout/CAA Level 2
From Bears to Bombs: Transitioning from Wilderness Medicine to Conflict Area Humanitarian Medicine
When: 1500h
Description: As wilderness medicine professionals seek out new challenges they may encounter opportunities to work or volunteer for humanitarian organizations providing services in conflict environments supporting refugee populations, training healthcare providers, or delivering patient care. This new arena requires additional skills and knowledge before stepping in to ensure safe and effective operations. Common deficiencies will be highlighted and attendees will be shown pathways to correct those. Resources for self-guided learning will be provided enabling attendees to identify how their practice of medicine may be adapted in resource limited environments. Individuals will be confronted with ethical questions, emotional burdens, and physical risks to help them better assess if this is the particular niche of humanitarian medicine they wish to enter. Upon conclusion of the presentation and following some honest self-reflection, attendees will be able to assess their fitness for different mission types and organizational structures empowering them to decide which opportunities they should take part in. This presentation draws on the speaker’s experience as a paramedic, instructor, security advisor, or project manager in Ukraine, Iraq, Mexico, Guatemala, and Sierra Leone.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Assess their fitness for different mission types and organizational structures empowering them to decide which opportunities they should take part in
- Identify how their practice of medicine may be adapted in resource limited environments
- Access resources to help in correcting knowledge gaps improving their chance to work safely and effectively
Presented by: Daniel Taylor/EMT-P, TP-C, CCEMTP
Wrap-Up
List of Workshops
Click an event below to scroll down to it automatically.
- Friday 0800-1100 - BLS Airway Course
- Friday 1000-1200 - Light , Lighter, Lightest – Splints for Lower Extremity Injuries
- Friday 1300-1500 - HypoWrap Redux - "Burrito" Realities
- Friday 1530-1630 - You’re in Bear Country
- Friday 1530-1730 - Analgesia in the Backcountry with Ultrasound Guided Nerve Blocks
- Friday 1630-1730 - Wilderness Cardiac Arrest Management
- Saturday 0800-1200 - ALS Airway Course
- Saturday 1300-1700 - STRIVE: Simulated Training for Readiness in Various Environments- Shifting from surviving to thriving and leading in chaos
- Sunday 0800-0930 - Charlie Alpha Whiskey Mike, Over. - Ideal use of portable radio transceiver (1-1.5)
- Sunday 1030-1230 - A system for horizontal and gentle extrication of a patient from a narrow crevasse
BLS Airway Course
When: Friday Oct 13 0800-1100 - 3hrs
Description: Austere environment airway emergencies present difficult challenges for rescuers and for wilderness enthusiasts. During this workshop Participants will discuss the utilization of; optimized airway alignment, commercial oropharyngeal, and supraglottic airway, and improvised rescue devices to optimize patient care. Through the use of low fidelity simulation learning objectives will be reinforced with hands on utilization of discussed techniques and equipment.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand how to optimize airway alignment
- Identify tidal volume goals and impacts of excessive pressure or volumes for airway
- Discuss BVM characteristics, challenges, passive oxygenation.
- Utilize commercial airway devices optimized for the austere environment.(NPA, IGel, BVM)
- Discuss patient movement in the presence of respiratory emergencies.
- Discuss and utilize improvised devices for personal use in the austere environments
Presented by:
Mack Wardle CCP, ACP, DiMM
Kevin Palmer, EMT-P, DiMM, FAWM, WP-C
Jamin Mulvey FANZCA, MPH@TM, DiMM, MBBS(Hons)
Brett Shaw MD, MSc, FRCPC, FAWM
Light, Lighter, Lightest – Splints for Lower Extremity Injuries
When: Friday Oct 13 1000-1200 - 2hrs
Description: Lower extremity injuries are the most common serious injuries in a number of outdoor activities including skiing, climbing and mountaineering. This workshop will highlight a number of lightweight commercial and improvised splints for distal lower extremity injuries.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify and apply common lightweight lower extremity splints, both commercial and improvised
• Cascade®
• Vacuum
• Improvised (including wind-pant splint)
• Sam® splint
• StabilitiTM splint
• Warren sil splint
Presented by: Cyril Shokoples, ACMG / IFMGA
HypoWrap Redux - "Burrito" Realities
When: Friday Oct 13 1300-1500 - 2hrs
Description: Recall the classroom hypothermia “burrito”. Materials strategically laid out for a student volunteer to position themselves on. “We would
do it if it were real.” is said to save time. The objective is complete when they are wrapped up flat out, rope secured, and ready for
transport. The true fun is the diaper.
But not in this session. This might just be the most difficult hypothermia wrap you have ever done in training! The “burrito” is far more complicated than the layers imply. Attendees will own their laziness, fix their mistakes, and vigilantly attend to patient care throughout this unique hypothermia wrap experience. Patient realism will be infused into mini scenarios that are based on real life potential for authenticity and buy-in. Intentional insertion of complications and the organic environmental stressors of our outdoor space will add value and context to the experience. Using a selection of familiar materials, participants will execute classic and improvised hypothermia wraps with cautious patient handling and attention to patient vitals. Contrary to basic lessons that focus on the layers, this session will focus on patient handling and overcoming complications in the best effort to rescue the patient in a future austere environment. Bluntly put - try not to kill/harm your patient.
Ultimately, responders may unintentionally induce cardiac arrhythmias in an unstable patient suffering from moderate to severe hypothermia while trying to execute a rescue. This session will emphasize the importance of the executing the hypo wrap in a manner that reduces this risk.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify responder mistakes in hypothermia wrap training that may have a direct impact on the condition of a real patient in a moderate to severe hypothermic state
- Challenge their existing skill set with a higher expectation for cautious patient handling and attention to vitals while they manage the realistic complications of completing a wrap
- Identify variations in patient positioning in hypothermia wraps based on patient need and presentation
- Develop methods of mitigating common complications in hypothermia wrap applications in the field
Presented by: Rebecca Basset/WFR instructor, SAR Team Leader, Jon Dean/MD, FRCPC, PGDip MEd, FAWM
You’re in Bear Country
When: Friday Oct 13 1530-1630 - 1hr
Description: Hands-on to understanding where bears live, their behaviour, prevent encounters, how they respond to encounters, types of deterrents and how a person should respond to an encounter. The lecture will include lecture-based material followed by practicing close encounters using Oleoresin Capsicum training bear deterrent. (hands-on bear spray use).
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understanding where bears live, their behaviour, prevent encounters, how they respond to encounters, types of deterrents and how a person should respond to an encounter.
Presented by: Kevin Palmer/ EMT-P, WP-C, DiMM, FAWM
Analgesia in the Backcountry with Ultrasound Guided Nerve Blocks
When: Friday Oct 13 1530-1730 - 2hrs
Description: Providing effective analgesia in the backcountry can be challenging. Many of the tools that we use in urban prehospital and in-hospital settings are dangerous to use or simply unavailable in the wilderness. Patients who are overly sedated with systemic analgesics (like opioids and ketamine) are more difficult to provide care too, and significantly more difficult to evacuate out of remote environments. Even when these tools are available, Canadian research has shown that patients being transported by prehospital air ambulance services often receive inadequate pain control.
This session will include a short didactic session reviewing the range of options for providing effective analgesia in the backcountry. We will then review the approach to both anatomic and ultrasound guided regional blocks. The majority of the session will be spent in hands-on practice using ultrasound devices to practice landmarking for regional blocks, and using models to practice needle tracking with ultrasound. The session will be delivered by physicians who have certifications in anesthesia and emergency medicine.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe an escalating approach to pain management in a low resource setting
- Perform both anatomy and ultrasound guided regional nerve blocks
Presented by: Cory McFarlane, MD, CCFP (FPA), Dave Jerome. MD, MSc, CCFP, FAWM
Wilderness Cardiac Arrest Management
When: Friday Oct 13 1630-1730 - 1hrs
Description: This interactive workshop will present a wilderness cardiac arrest and cover treatment and transport options as will as various equipment options.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Manage a wilderness cardiac arrest with both knowledge and equipment in a hiking pack
- Understand treatment and transport options in the wilderness setting.
Presented by: Miles Randell/ TEAAM Aeromedical, ALS
ALS Airway Course
When: Saturday Oct 14 0800-1200 - 4hrs
Description: Advanced Airway Management in the austere environment is a high acuity low occurrence event surrounded by compounding challenges of environment, team dynamics, equipment limitations and significant transportation logistics. These can be unanticipated occurrences with sudden onset. All these can lead to challenges for the Advanced Life Support provider.
During this workshop participants will;
- Review literature and resources prior to the workshop
- Develop skills to optimize team dynamics
- Discuss cognitive offloading resources
- Understand BVM use in pre-oxygenation
- Review advanced airway techniques in the context of the austere environment
- Learn and preform improvised advanced airway techniques
- Utilize commercial and improvised airway devices in a simulated austere environment.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Discuss team dynamics in the rescuer environment.
- Discuss the utilization of Checklists and other reference materials for success in high risk environments.
- Understand the latest literature surrounding success of prehospital airway devices
- Discuss laryngoscopy and video laryngoscopy challenges and optimization in an outdoor environment.
- Understand techniques for soiled airway management
- Discuss BVM flow rates and proxygenation techniques.
- Engage in discussion regarding the use of oxygen in austere environments.
- Discuss open cricothyrotomy
- Demonstrate and attempt improvised airway techniques
- Demonstrate and explore options for improvised cricothyrotomy
- Discuss tension pneumothorax and austere environment care
- Simulate difficult intubating environments in an outdoor setting utilizing low delity devices (weather permitting)
Presented by:
Mackenzie Wardle/ CCP, ACP, DiMM
Kevin Palmer/EMT-P, DiMM, FAWM, WP-C
Jamin Mulvey/ FANZCA, MPH@TM, DiMM, MBBS(Hons)
Brett Shaw MD, MSc, FRCPC, FAWM
STRIVE: Simulated Training for Readiness in Various Environments- Shifting from surviving to thriving and leading in chaos
When: Saturday Oct 14 1300-1700 - 4hrs
Description: STRIVE emphasizes the Big4+ resiliency skills (attention control, box breathing, cognitive reframing, goal setting, progressive muscular relaxation and visualization) to help responders navigate stressful situations that challenge our moral and ethical compass. The skills are consolidated and reinforced through practical simulations (high fidelity, role playing scenarios or video simulation) coupled with post event discussion (START Check In- Supportive, Team Centric, Acknowledgement of event, Reflection and Take Away.
These skills ensure responders develop confidence navigating stressful environments, promote compassionate leadership and teamwork skills and enhance communication before, during and after the emergency response. The course promotes psychologically safe environments that fosters not only surviving but thriving while leading with purpose and focus.
Learn how to manage your stress, so you are the most effective responder and leader that you can be. Help others manage and cope with their stress response to ensure optimal outcomes and mitigate chaos, errors and stress for all involved.
Multiple videos have been created to facilitate training during the pandemic and can be easily integrated into responder training programs. Come to the training to learn the material and bring it back to your team and train them! All resources (handouts, powerpoint and videos will be provided to attendees). Essentially this is your train the trainer course!
The STRIVE Workshop covers 4 modules:
Module one: RECOGNIZING YOUR STRESS RESPONSE
- highlight impacts of workplace stress (Burnout, moral injury/distress, second victim syndrome, PTSD, etc)
- understand your stress response and impacts on mental health.
- review mental health continuum.
Module two: MANAGING YOUR STRESS RESPONSE
- learn stress management resiliency skills (big 4+)
- practice using the skills.
Module three: LEADING and THRIVING IN CHAOS
- learn your leadership style and how to adapt it.
- become the best leader you can be by understanding the needs of your team and set them up for success.
- Review effective stratgies to communicate, collaborate and advocate as a leader.
Module four: APPLICATION OF STRIVE SKILLS
- practical application of stress management resiliency skills within leadership framework.
- develop credibility, competence and confidence as a responder and leader by establishing psychologically safe environments.
- apply “START Check In” framework
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify stress response and apply resiliency skills to thrive in any situation.
- Describe the compassionate leadership skills that promote effective teamwork and communication and utilize in practice.
- Discuss and apply the START Check In framework following stressful events.
Presented by:
Captain Stephanie Smith/MD, BN, MA in Disaster and Emergency Management
Joann Hnatiuk/ RN, BN, Master of Nursing
Christina Schweitzer MD, MPH, MPhil, BSc
Charlie Alpha Whiskey Mike, Over. - Ideal use of portable radio transceiver (1-1.5)
- Understand how radio systems work, the phonetic alphabet, radio terminology, conversation flow, and emergency/priority transmissions.
A system for horizontal and gentle extrication of a patient from a narrow crevasse
When: Sunday Oct 15 1030-1230 - 2hrs
Description: Last year in Canmore, I presented 2 case studies of patients who were wedged in crevasses. The importance of transitioning a cold patient to a horizontal position as early in the extraction process as possible, in order to reduce the risk of rescue collapse, was emphasized. This workshop will introduce participants to basic rope systems for crevasse extraction and specifically to a novel system that allows a patient to be transitioned to a horizontal position even in a narrow space.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Become familiar with general crevasse rescue techniques
- Understand the value of transitioning a wedged patient into a horizontal position as soon as possible
- Become familiar with the system and procedure with with to transition a wedged patient to a horizontal position, even in a narrow crevasse
Presented by: Gordon Giesbrecht/PhD, FAsMA, FAWM
All prices on the registration form include 5% GST, so appear slightly higher than what is listed below.
Military Personnel have a 10% discount to all registration levels. SAR/Ski Patrol members have a 75% discount to all registration levels.
Participants must register at the highest appropriate level.
All attendees in-person and virtual will receive translation to Canadian French provided by a live virtual translation service.
Online
Physician (MDs) - $350.00
- For Medical Doctors
- Full Access to the conference recordings until June 15, 2024
- Includes a certificate of attendance for MainPro+ Credits and Royal College Credits
- Includes certificate of attendance
Non-physician professional (SAR professional/paramedic/nurse/ski patrol) - $235.00
- For SAR professionals, nurses, PAs, paramedics, and ski patrol members
- Full Access to the conference recordings until June 15, 2024
- Includes FAWM credits and Paramedic CME credits
- Includes certificate of attendance
Student/resident - $235.00
- For medical students/residents and other medical learners
- Full Access to the conference recordings until June 15, 2024
- Includes FAWM credits
Guide/Volunteer (SAR, ski patrol, etc.) - $75.00
- For guides, unpaid volunteers (SAR, ski patrol, etc.) and other wilderness medical enthusiasts
- Full access to conference recordings until June 15, 2024
In Person
Physician - $750.00
- For Medical Doctors
- Full Access to the conference recordings until June 15, 2024
- Includes a certificate of attendance for MainPro+ Credits and Royal College Credits
- Includes certificate of attendance
Non-physician professional (SAR professional/paramedic/nurse/ski patrol) - $575.00
- For SAR professionals, nurses, PAs, paramedics, and ski patrol members
- Full Access to the conference recordings until June 15, 2024
- Includes FAWM credits and Paramedic CME credits
- Includes certificate of attendance
Student/resident - $575.00
- For medical students/residents and other medical learners
- Full Access to the conference recordings until June 15, 2024
Guide/Volunteer (SAR, ski patrol, etc.) - $345.00
- For guides, unpaid volunteers (SAR, ski patrol, etc.) and other wilderness medical enthusiasts
- Full access to conference recordings until June 15, 2024
Pre-Conference
Wilderness Life Support: Medical Professionals (Previously AWLS)
Professionals ($750.00 + 5% GST)
Students ($450.00 + 5% GST)
In-Person Only - October 11 - 12, 2023
Wilderness Life Support: Medical Professionals (WLS:MP), formerly known as AWLS, is designed for medical professionals of all levels (MD, EMT, PA, NP, RN, etc.) that have an interest in expanding their knowledge of wilderness medicine pathology and enhancing their practical skills in a wilderness environment.. WLS:MP courses are designed for all types of outdoor enthusiasts, from the casual day hike to the extended expedition. Students will learn the latest wilderness medicine skills for patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evacuation. Emphasis is placed not just on the materials learned, but the critical decision-making skills surrounding effective backcountry medical management.
Participants will be eligible for up to 21.25 ACCME AMA PRA Cat 1 credits and 21.25 Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) credits.
FAWM Credits from the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS)
This course has been approved for Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) credits through the Wilderness Medical Society. Actual credits awarded depend on personal credit needs and history.
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
The University of British Columbia Division of Continuing Professional Development (UBC CPD) is fully accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education (CACME) to provide study credits for continuing medical education for physicians. This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and has been approved by UBC CPD for up to 23 MOC Section 1 Group Learning credits. Each physician should claim only those credits accrued through participation in the activity.
CFPC MainPro+
This Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the British Columbia Chapter for up to 45.50 Mainpro+® credits.
British Columbia Paramedics
Approved for 20 credits. Submit under "Submit other activities" application pathway.
Alberta Paramedics
60 credits for 2023/2024 registration. Reporting period is October 1 - September 30.
Saskatchewan Paramedics
The Canadian Association of Wilderness Medicine Conference is approved for 20 credits, approval ID CME2023-114. This conference is for all practitioners from NOCP area 5. Please note that completion certificates must match the title of the course as submitted and should include, where possible, the number of credits, approval ID number, and NOCP area. This will prevent a denial or delay in processing a license renewal application.
Prince Edward Island Paramedics
Approved for CME.
Melissa Lem
Keynote Presentation: The Role of Preparation & Self-Sufficiency in Wilderness AccidentsGordon Giesbrecht
Gordon Giesbrecht, Ph.D. is a Professor of Thermophysiology in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, at the University of Manitoba. Gordon studies human responses to exercise/work in extreme environments and has been the Director of the Laboratory for Exercise and Environmental Medicine since 1991. He has conducted hundreds of cold water immersion studies that have provided life-saving information about physiology and pre-hospital care for human hypothermia. He has also conducted over 100 vehicle submersions with people in them, to study survival and exit strategies in sinking vehicles. He has over 100 publications, and helped create instructional educational programs for drowning prevention and treatment, such as Cold Water Boot Camp; Beyond Cold Water Boot Camp; Baby It’s Cold Outside and written protocols used by Emergency Response Operators around the world.
Lynne Hoole
Dr Lynne Hoole is a specialist trained general surgeon and anaesthetist based in South Africa. She spent 13 years working for a number of state-run hospitals in South Africa in a range of disciplines. She became interested in pre-hospital medicine early in her career and has worked in wheeled vehicles, aircraft and boats: she looks forward to adding trains in the future to complete the set!
She has spent the last 9 years working in remote and austere environments from the Antarctic to the Sahara, always stealing a little bit of knowledge from each encounter and hoping to leave others the better for her having been there.
Dave Jerome
Dr Dave Jerome completed med school in Newfoundland and rural family medicine residency in Northern Ontario. He works full time as a Medical Officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, and has deployed overseas with both the army and the navy. Dave completed the CCFP-EM program at Queen's in 2023 and he's currently working full-time EM in Kamloops BC. Dave has volunteered with Ground SAR for over 10 years, and he completed his FAWM in 2020. Dave is one of the co-founders of CAWM, and he is currently serving as the Association’s President.
Heather Filek
Heather Filek is an ER physician based in Penticton BC. Her previous work focused on prison medicine and rural work in northern Canada. She volunteers with the local ski patrol team and has worked with the Students on Ice expedition in the Arctic. She loves skiing, climbing, hiking and any time in the mountains.
Jeff Thurman
Jeff Thurman, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, FAWM is an Emergency Medicine and EMS physician practicing in Kentucky. He completed training at the University of Louisville where he is now Gratis Faculty in the Division of EMS. He is board certified in both Emergency Medicine and EMS. Jeff is an active EMS medical director and is the co-Local Emergency Medical Advisor for the US Forest Service in Kentucky. He is also associate medical director for RedSTAR, a wilderness EMS response team, operating in Kentucky's Red River Gorge. Jeff is involved at the state level as a member of the Kentucky Board of EMS Medical Oversight committee and Wilderness Paramedic Task Force. He was part of the IBSC leadership team that created the first wilderness specific certification at the paramedic level (WP-C) and now serves as a medical director for the IBSC.
Tali Glazer
Tali is a second-year medical student at the University of Calgary and co-chair of the University of Calgary Wilderness Medicine Society. Tali believes in providing quality healthcare regardless of the resources available, pushing the boundaries of her own comfort zone, and immersing herself in nature (such as completing a dream 36km one day hike with fellow presenters Liam, Stephanie, and Sam)! She values wilderness medicine as the intersection of these passions. Outside of the classroom, you can find Tali skiing, hiking, and working with a local organization that provides new mothers and their babies with supporting housing. Tali hopes to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynaecology and plans to explore rural and remote pregnancy care during her clerkship. She is excited to be a part of the Canadian wilderness medicine conference this year!
Brett Shaw
Dr. Brett Shaw is an Emergency Medicine Physician in Calgary, as well as Transport Physician with Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS). He has an interest in prehospital and retrieval medicine and has completed his Fellowship of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM).
When not trying to get in the back of a helicopter, he likes to spend his free time rock and ice climbing, skiing, running, diving, and adventuring with his wife and two sons.
Mack Wardle
Banff EMS Paramedic, STARS Air Ambulance Aeromedical Crew, Ski Patroller, and Wilderness Medicine enthusiast. Mackenzie has a passion for the link between rescue, and prehospital medicine. As a Paramedic with Banff Emergency Medical Services, he has developed a strong integration with Parks Canada Visitor Safety department, aiding in the medical treatment within rescue operations. Mackenzie works as a Critical Care Paramedic across the prairies, where he continues to learn a great deal about prehospital and austere patient care. As a founding member of CAWM Mackenzie is passionate about wilderness medicine. He is an avid skier, mountain biker, hiker, and excessively mediocre xc skier.
Kaighley Brett
LCdr (Dr) Kaighley Brett is a Family Physician and a Consultant in Diving and Submarine Medicine (CDSM) with the Canadian Armed Forces. She has completed advanced training in Diving and Submarine medicine, including a BScMedScHons in Underwater Medicine through Stellenbosch University in 2017 and a Fellowship in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine at the University of California San Diego in 2018. Outside of medicine, she is a recreational diver with a passion for marine life and underwater photography.
Rebecca Basset
Rebecca Basset is the Training Director and active Search Manager with Saskatoon Search and Rescue. She is the owner / operator and lead instructor with Back40 Wilderness First Aid, where she focuses on providing austere, high-fidelity experiences that are practical and engaging for learners of both medical and non-medical backgrounds. Rebecca graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a degree in Kinesiology in 2005. She and her family frequent the mountains to camp, hike, ice climb, bike, and snowmobile in the back country.
Jamin Mulvey
Dr. Jamin Mulvey is an Australian trained Anesthetist, graduating from Medical School at the University of Sydney in 2002 and finishing his Anesthesia Training in 2011. He moved to Canada in 2012 to complete his Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, where he continues to work as an Attending Anesthesiologist. Jamin has worked in Antarctica, the Arctic, Pakistani Kashmir, the Papua New Guinea highlands and South Africa. His non-hospital roles have included working at a consultant level in Australia in Helicopter Emergency Services (HEMS), a Senior Officer in the Military Critical Care Aeromedical Team (MCAT) for the Royal Australian Air Force, and as a HEMS Doctor for the London’s Air Ambulance, United Kingdom.
Stephanie Smith
Captain Stephanie Smith has been in the military for 22 years. She initially worked as a Critical Care Nursing Officer for 12 years before transitioning to medicine. She was an employed as a Medical Officer until June and then returned to an Emergency Medicine fellowship at UBC in July. She deployed twice to Afghanistan and once to the Philippines with the Disaster Assistance Response Team as the Senior Nursing Officer. She completed a Master of Arts in Disaster and Emergency Management and researched the psychological implications of not feeling clinically prepared. She loves to teach and developed the STRIVE simulation program that reinforces leadership, crisis communication and resiliency skills. She loves snowboarding, hiking, camping and competing in triathlons.
Joann Hnatiuk
Lieutenant Commander Joann Hnatiuk has been in the military for 35 years working in the Reserves. She initially joined as a Boatswain on a naval ship and then became a Critical Care Nursing Officer, deploying twice to Afghanistan as a Critical Care Nursing Officer and Air Medevac nurse supporting the US Blackhawks’ medevac team. She completed a humanitarian missions to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake transporting patients for medical care. She worked as Critical Care Nurse for STARS from 2001-2010 and is currently a Trauma Services Nursing Coordinator with BC Health. She loves to ski, mountain bike and camp in her free time.
Jeff Reeser
Jeff Reeser currently handles Rural EMS education for the EMS West Regional EMS Council in Northern Pennsylvania. Prior to that he worked as both a Ground and Flight Paramedic following a career change from Industrial Engineering. Jeff currently holds several Critical Care Certifications, multiple state certifications and he holds instructor certifications for several prehospital courses. Jeff is also adjunct faculty for pre-hospital programs at Penn State University. He continues Part time employment with St Marys Area Ambulance Service, serves as the Rescue Lieutenant for the Crystal Volunteer Fire Department, and is an active member of Elkland Search and Rescue. He and his wife Donna split their time between their home in Elk County (Home to the Pennsylvania Elk herd) and their cottage in Ontario.
Neal Pollock
Neal Pollock holds a Research Chair in Hyperbaric and Diving Medicine and is an Associate Professor in Kinesiology at Université Laval in Québec, Canada. He was previously Research Director at Divers Alert Network (DAN) in Durham, North Carolina. His academic training is in zoology, exercise physiology and environmental physiology. His research interests focus on human health and safety in extreme environments. He is an editor emeritus of the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine.
Alana Hawley
Alana Hawley is an FRCPC Emergency Medicine physician at Penticton Regional Hospital in BC and a Clinical Instructor with UBC. Alana is a Wilderness Medicine practitioner, educator, and researcher. She completed a Wilderness Medicine fellowship at the University of Utah as well as the Diploma in Mountain Medicine (DiMM) and the Fellowship of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM). Alana currently serves on the FAWM Committee Board and volunteers as the Medical Advisor of Penticton Search and Rescue. Personal interests include climbing, diving, mountain biking, skiing, and mountaineering.
Jon Dean
Dr. Jonathan Dean is a general internal medicine physician and assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan. He serves as assistant program director of curriculum for the internal medicine residency program and is involved in both the clinical supervision and simulation-based teaching of medical students and resident doctors. Dr. Dean is an active search manager and team lead with Saskatoon Search and Rescue, where he volunteers as co-chair of the operations committee and as member of the training committee. He completed his FAWM in 2023 and holds a post-graduate diploma in medical education through the University of Dundee.
Mike Koppang
Mike is a professional Mountain Rescue Specialist based out of Canmore working with Alberta Parks. He has been working with parks since the late 1990s and since then had responded to numerous backcountry accidents of all types throughout the region. He is one of the Founding members of the Canadian Mountain parks backcountry medical council that coordinates medical directors and rescue specialists between the National parks and Kananaskis region. In addition to working in the rescue field Mike is also a professional member of both the Canadian avalanche association and the Association of Canadian Mountain guides and actively works for RK Heliski as well private ski touring guiding work.
Ryan Morasiewicz
Ryan Morasiewicz is an Outdoor/Adventure and Insurance Defense lawyer. He has extensive experience in risk management in the outdoors industry, insurance and injury litigation, and health regulatory law. Ryan’s legal peers have named him to the “Best Lawyers in Canada” list for both Personal Injury Litigation (2021, 2022, 2023) and Corporate and Commercial Litigation (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023). Outside of the office, Ryan is a Ground Search Team Leader with North Shore Rescue, the oldest and busiest volunteer mountain Search and Rescue team in Canada, and together with his German Shepherd, Neiko, has been validated by the RCMP PDS as a wilderness K9 search dog team . He is also a Director (public representative) of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.
Michael Girard
Michael has been working in the Humanitarian field for the past decade including living and working in the Middle East for a number of years. Working through cholera outbreaks, mass migrations and disaster responses of varying degrees. Working in remote and austere conditions has been the norm for the past number of years with limited resources, especially access to adequate health services. Upon returning to Canada in 2022 Michael took up the role as Manager for the Domestic Emergency Response Unit - National Operations for the Canadian Red Cross overseeing the transition into a post-covid health response era for the organization. He holds degrees from the University of British Columbia and Humber College and is a proud member of the Innu Essipit First Nations community in Essipit,Quebec.
Christina Schweitzer
Dr. Christina Schweitzer is a 4th year General Surgery Resident at the University of British Columbia. Based in Vancouver, she is currently working in Prince George, and has an interest in Trauma. She recently completed a Master of Public Health in Health Policy at Harvard and a Graduate Certificate in Global Surgical Care from UBC, and worked for the UN. During her MD at the University of Calgary, she spent her clerkship training year in Yellowknife and in remote fly-in communities in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. She earned an MPhil in Biological Science from Cambridge as a Gates Cambridge Scholar, performing laboratory research on vaccines and intracellular immunity to viruses. Her undergraduate degree was in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University. Christina enjoys teaching the STRIVE simulation program reinforcing leadership, communication, and resiliency skills with medical professionals. She loves canoeing as well as Nordic and alpine skiing.
Sophie Thomas
Training to Communicate: The Role of Simulation in Marine Search and Rescue & Pre-Hospital CareI am a third-year medical student at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Before medical school, I worked as a Crewmember for two years and a Coxswain for two years with the Canadian Coast Guard Marine Search & Rescue IRB program. This experience largely influenced my interest in Wilderness Medicine. Additionally, I have a keen interest in Emergency Medicine, particularly pre-hospital and retrieval medicine and am excited to learn from wilderness experts during this conference. My passions include anything outdoors, especially skiing, hiking, boating, and running.
Matthew Mercer
After completing his personal quest for meaning atop a mountain, Matt joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2012 as a medic (a day before Halloween, which probably should have been taken as a sign). After completing his Bachelor’s Science of Nursing in 2016, he worked several years as a civilian RN in Ottawa, before commissioning to become a Nursing Officer in the military. He currently works as a Critical Care Nursing Officer, dividing his time between working in the Ottawa Civic Hospital Intensive Care Unit, chipping away at a Master’s in Nursing Practice, and contemplating his life choices.
Carolyn Kelly-Smith
Carolyn is an Emergency Physician and Trauma Team Leader at Royal Columbian Hospital. During residency she completed her Diploma in Mountain Medicine(DiMM) in Europe. She helped develop and teach the current Canadian DiMM with the Canadian Society of Mountain Medicine. She has worked as a physician for the Himalaya Rescue Association in Nepal and as a consultant for KiliSAR on Mount Kilimanjaro. Currently she volunteers as an advanced medical provider team member with North Shore Rescue and with Whistler Blackcomb Ski Patrol. She also does some part time work with Mike Wiegele Heli skiing and provides medical coverage for ultramarathons.
Doug Brown
Doug Brown is a FRCPC emergency physician at Royal Columbian Hospital. He has been a search & rescue volunteer since 1996, is a BC mountain rescue technician as well as a ski doctor at Whistler Blackcomb and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing. He does work with the international commission for mountain emergency medicine and the Canadian society of mountain medicine. He has a particular interest in wilderness and environmental emergencies, and was the lead author on a review of accidental hypothermia published in the November 15, 2012 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. His work was featured on an EMRAP episode in January 2014.
Erin Creasor
Erin trained in Rural Family Medicine followed by a fellowship in Emergency Medicine in Ontario. She is in the midst of wrapping up her Fellowship of Wilderness Medicine and is looking forward to adding four more letters to her post-nomial. She still struggles to fully commit to any one Emergency Department, however spends most of her time in Sudbury and Huntsville in Ontario, with frequent locums in the Northwest Territories. As a Clinical Lecturer at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, teaching learners at all stages of medical training is an important part of her job and education improvement is the main focus of her research endeavours.
Mike Crickmer
Michael grew up in Vancouver and spent an inordinate amount of time skiing, hiking, and windsurfing on the West Coast. Attended medical school in Ireland and completed FRCP-EM residency at the University of Toronto including a self-designed year focusing on wilderness medicine (DiMM), trauma, and pre-hospital transport. Currently practicing Emergency Medicine at Lions Gate and Royal Columbian Hospitals and volunteering as a Whistler Blackcomb ski patrol doctor and Resource Member with North Shore rescue.
Kevin Palmer
Kevin Palmer is an EMT-Paramedic living in Banff, Alberta, Canada with his wife Natalie, daughter Emily, and labradoodle Douglas Fir. He is a first responder on the local ground ambulance, in addition to being the primary clinical educator and training officer for Banff Emergency Medical Services. Kevin completed his Diploma in Mountain Medicine and Fellowship with the Academy of Wilderness Medicine with the WMS. He is the founder and chair of the Banff wilderness care conference, a cave rescue specialist with the Alberta/BC Cave Rescue Service, an ALS ski patrol volunteer/mentor with Sunshine Village and Lake Louise Ski Resorts, a Wilderness Paramedic certification item writer, an outreach simulation facilitator, and a paramedic/RN conference lecturer. He has also contributed numerous articles to the Wilderness Medicine Magazine and Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.
Jennifer Godbout
Jen would like to acknowledge that she lives, works and explores in the shared unceded territory of the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation. Jennifer Godbout (she/her) known to many by her nickname Jibber, is a backcountry split board guide, avalanche forecaster and educator, based out Whistler, BC. Transitioning from competitor, to coach, to becoming a guide seemed a natural progression to avoid any chance of working indoors or having to use a computer. Jen enjoys being of service in her community as a search and rescue volunteer and mentoring the next generation of snow scientists and big mountain riders, the irony of the childhood nickname Jibber is not lost on her.
Miles Randell
Miles is an advanced life support paramedic working with TEAAM Aeromedical as a helicopter rescue medic, president and founding member. He has wilderness medicine experience in search and rescue since 1991, pro ski patrolling since 2004, and working on ground and air ambulances since 1997. He teaches for SARMed School and has taught at the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue and the Paramedic Academy at the Justice Institute of BC. He is currently a new board member of the Canadian Association of Wilderness Medicine and is a subject matter expert for the International Board of Specialty Certificates Wilderness Medic program.
Taito Inagaki
Dr. Taito Inagaki is a Japanese emergency and intensive care physician. He has involved in various medical fields from a pre-hospital rapid medical response unit, called Doctor-Car in Japan, to intensive care unit at Kitasato University Hospital. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked in the regional infection control headquarter of Japanese government. Currently, he specializes in pre-hospital field medicine and mass gathering medicine related to mountaineering and trail running. He is also a passionate ultra-long distance trail runner. Since 2017, he has been working as a medical advisor of WMA Japan to promote wilderness medicine in Japan. He has also served as a first aid director of numerous trail running races and organized medical response teams in the wilderness setting.
Takuya Ota
Takuya Ota is a Japanese PCP-IV currently working at Whistler station. He is also an instructor of WMA International since 2011 and a co-founder/director of WMA Japan. He worked as an outdoor guide in the European Alps, a ski patrol in Canada, an adventure tourism consultant in Chile, and a rafting guide in Japan. He studied at the University of Nevada, Reno and Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, and successfully finished two degrees specializing in Sports Science and Adventure Tourism. His passion is teaching wilderness medicine to people in Japan who need the practical patient assessment, treatment and decision-making skills in the wilderness and disaster setting.
Yasser El-Sheikh
Dr. Yasser El-Sheikh is a plastic surgeon practicing in Toronto. His clinical practice is in hand, wrist and peripheral nerve surgery, and cosmetic plastic surgery. He is a Clinical Instructor at The University of Toronto in The Division of Plastic Surgery. Dr. El-Sheikh completing his Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at The University of Waterloo. He earned his medical degree from McMaster University in 2004. He then completed his Plastic Surgery Residency at McMaster University and his Hand and Microsurgery Senior Clinical Fellowship at The Buncke Clinic in San Francisco in 2010. Dr. El-Sheikh is a member of The Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons, The American Society for Surgery of the Hand, The American Association for Hand Surgery, and is a Fellow of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Dan Taylor
Daniel became an EMT in New York in 2006, a medic in 2009, and a remote paramedic in 2018. Through his experience working in EMS he found himself drawn to less traditional settings such as special events and endurance races. Working as a medical team leader and medic at a refugee camp in northern Greece helped Daniel find a love for humanitarian medicine, eventually leading him to conflict humanitarian medicine. As an educator Daniel has taught a wide range of public and private wilderness medicine courses, tactical medicine courses, and spent several years as a contractor instructing for 1st Special Forces Command at Fort Liberty (Fort Bragg) on a specialty austere critical care course which lead to becoming an author on one of the Prolonged Field Care Clinical Practice Guidelines.
Samantha Brazier
Sam Brazier is a 2nd year medical student at the University of Calgary and Co-Chair of the U of C Wilderness Medicine Society. Her travels have taken her from her hometown of Blue Mountain, Ontario, where she was a ski coach for local youth, to Dalhousie, Nova Scotia, where she completed a BSc in Medical Sciences. Sam has additionally worked as a research student in medical biophysics and biochemistry. While at Dalhousie, Sam developed a passion for the outdoors through hiking trips to Gros Morne and Cape Breton, a passion she has carried through to medical school in Calgary where she has helped to lead numerous hikes, ski trips, and outdoor adventures for her classmates.
Michael Verdirame
Breanne Paul
Breanne practices both Emergency Medicine in Saskatoon and Yellowknife, and rural/remote Family Medicine in Northern Saskatchewan. She has also been a member of civilian ground search and rescue for over 10 years. Her wilderness interests lie in scuba diving, high-altitude trekking, and traveling. Together with her team, she is researching frostbite best-practices and the delivery of care in Saskatchewan.
Len James
Len has over 40 years of experience in prehospital care. He spent 18 years as a Superintendent with Hamilton Paramedic Service. Currently, Len works as an ACP with the Nipissing District Paramedic Service. He also provides ALS care at large music events, marathons, and other ultra endurance races. Len has the Canadian shield etched on his heart. Len has a Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Education both specializing in outdoor education. He has worked for Outward Bound Canada, adjudicated youth and high school outdoor programs. Len remains on the OBC National Safety Committee. Len has taught courses in over 10 countries around the world. From “north of 60” to South America and across to China, he enjoys adopting medical training programs to meet the needs of diverse students. Currently, Len is the Director of Medical Curriculum and Program Development for Raven RSM.
Celia Walker
Celia Walker is a second year family medicine resident at the UofA based in Yellowknife. Growing up climbing and camping in Kananaskis, her passion for the outdoors began young. During her masters in Global Health, Celia’s love for the natural environment transformed into a particular interest in how the climate crisis impacts the land and how this is tied to our health. Since, she has held many Planetary/Climate Health leadership roles including the co-chair of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students Health and the Environment Adaptive Response Taskforce and founder of the med-ed resource Climate Wise Slides. Her intersecting interests in wilderness and remote medicine, the climate crisis, and global health lead her up to the Northwest Territories where she is completing her training to become a rural/remote family doctor to better care for the underserved in Canada’s north.
Scott Bell
Dr. Scott Bell is a first-year family medicine resident with a passion for medicine in remote and austere environments. He is a current committee chair for the Canadian Association of Wilderness Medicine Learners Committee and an avid skier and kayaker. When not in the hospital, he can be found in the great outdoors or attempting to brew the perfect cup of matcha.
Kendra Young
Kendra Young is finishing her final year of the FRCPC Emergency Medicine Program at the University of Alberta and will be starting as a staff emergency medicine physician in Calgary in summer 2023. She has a passion for wilderness medicine and medical education and is currently completing her Diploma in Mountain Medicine (DiMM) and Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) certifications in addition to her Master of Education in Health Sciences Education. She loves all things outdoors with a special love for climbing and ski touring.
Andrew McLaren
Dr. Andrew McLaren is an Intensivist, Prehospital Care Specialist and Paramedic on Vancouver Island. Long found playing and working in the Coast Mountains from a SAR volunteer in the 90’s to a Mountain Doctor for Blackcomb/Whistler over 24 years to currently Medical Director at Mt Washington Resort. He has worked with BC Ambulance Service and as a HEMS Helicopter Trauma Doctor in England before returning to the West Coast. He continues to enjoy the sharp-end-of-the-rope, practicing medicine in difficult spots such as Haiti, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Resolute Bay, and Mali. He has been a past presenter at CAWM for his time working in tactical medical evacuation and performing DCR as part of the Canadian Medical Emergency Response Team for the Canadian Forces.
Brendan Munn
Brendan is an emergency and anesthesia trained physician based in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. He has been involved as a volunteer and medical director at music events, and has a particular interest in the interface between harm reduction services, medicine and critical care at multi-day festivals. He has been known to defend Houses of the Holy as the best Zeppelin album.
Emily Grady
Current and future avalanche search and rescue (AvSAR) training in CanadaEmily Grady is based in Revelstoke, BC where she works for the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) as a curriculum specialist and instructor. She is also an Association of Canadian Mountain Guides assistant ski guide. As the CAA's curriculum specialist, Emily has led curriculum development projects, including several avalanche search and rescue-related ones. During the CAWM 2022 conference, Emily will describe the current and future learning progression of avalanche search and rescue courses from the recreational to professional level of training. As part of the presentation, Emily will emphasize the value of the Avalanche Incident Management course for individuals who may be involved in a large AvSAR response.
Alex Borzok
Alex Borzok holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Widener University with an emphasis on process improvement in complex health systems. His capstone project focused on developing a transitions of care program for a rural federally qualified health center. He is also an advanced practice provider and recently started as a full-time faculty member for nursing and health science students. Mr. Borzok also holds certification as a prehospital registered nurse and has held a prehospital certification for the last 23 years. In his spare time, he is active with a volunteer search and rescue team in southeastern Pennsylvania (USA) and trying to keep up with his 2-year-old daughter.
Bobbi Wiens
Bobbi is currently employed as the Officer in Charge of Clinical Services for 15 Field Ambulance in Alberta. She is an Emergency Room specialized Registered Nurse and a Medical Student in the final year of clerkship at the University of Calgary School of Medicine. Before returning to school, she spent seven years working in both major Emergency Departments in Victoria and multiple rural placements across BC. She also served as the Training Officer for 11 Field Ambulance and deployed to Southeast Asia in 2018. Simultaneously, she worked as a Clinical Instructor for the Canadian Forces Search and Rescue Technicians. During medical school she continues to work with the Canadian Forces, volunteers with Mass Gathering Medicine and is an ACLS instructor.
Aimée Bouka
Dr. Aimée Bouka is a family physician and regional public health officer working on Gwich’in and Inuvialuit territories (Inuvik, NT) and on unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe territory (Ottawa, ON). She currently sits on the board of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and has also served on the Board of Advisors of the Black Physicians’ Association of Alberta. Her academic expertise focuses on equity in health systems and on curriculum development. Dr. Bouka is the Ottawa chapter co-lead with Brown Girl Outdoor World. She is currently completing her Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine and her Diploma in Mountain Medicine.
Steve Roy
Dr. Roy is an intensivist-"wildernist" with a specific interest in very remote environments. He holds three diplomas in Mountain Medicine as well as a post-graduate Diploma in Remote and Offshore Medicine. He is co-program director of the WildernessMD/McGill University Resident Physician Elective in Wilderness Medicine and director of Canada's only sub-specialty Diploma in Mountain Medicine, the Diploma in Wilderness & Expedition Medicine. He is active internationally in this field and sits on the Executive Committee of the International Society for Mountain Medicine, the Medical Commission of the International Commission of Alpine Rescue, and the Research Committee of the Wilderness Medical Society.
Cyril Shokoples
Cyril was last year’s CAWM keynote speaker. He is a professional Mountain Guide and EMS Instructor. He operates a sole proprietorship which has provided mountain guiding services with a specialization in high angle rope rescue, mountain leadership training, mountaineering, avalanche safety skills and wilderness emergency care. Cyril is an honorary (life) member of the Alpine Club of Canada and a past president of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. He and his team have trained Canadian Forces Search and Rescue Technicians continuously since 1989. This carries through to the current day Team Member and Team Leader mountain phases of SARTech trade qualification training.
Cory McFarlane
Cory works as a family practice anesthetist in North Western Ontario, Sioux Lookout. His professional interests include critical care and acute pain. His former careers include physiotherapy, aerospace technician and professional dirtbag. In his spare time he can be found outside riding bikes, wrestling the granite cliffs and falling out of canoes.
Stephanie de Waal
Stephanie de Waal is a second-year medical student at the University of Calgary. During her undergraduate degree at the University of Alberta, she took an interest in high altitude physiology research which led to becoming a co-leader of the University of Calgary Wilderness Medicine Society. Stephanie spends a lot of time in the Rocky Mountains and is excited to be able to combine her outdoor hobbies with medicine.
Kavi Singh
25 years ago in a Twin Otter with a patient in septic shock & IV lines frozen solid, Kavi realized medical school had really not fully prepared him for austere resus, polar bears & skidoo medevacs in N. Quebec’s Nunavik & James Bay. After many WTF moments, he looked outside medicine & took lessons from other performance under pressure disciplines such as whitewater kayaking, combat sports and tactical medicine. 15 years later he returned to residency for his CCFP-Emergency Medicine to bridge the rural-urban divide in emergency medical education. He luckily stumbled upon CAWM and has found a happy, hardworking group of likeminded passionate people!
Richard Grainger
Major Richard Grainger joined the Royal Air force many years ago as an Engineer before transferring to the Royal Canadian Air Force and retraining as a Medical Officer, completing his residency in Kingston. A Flight Surgeon and CCFP(EM) working for the Air Headquarters, he is currently the Medical Director for the Combat Support Squadron Medical Technicians and Forward Air evacuation teams, as well as co-ordinating air evacuation missions in Canada and abroad, including the Aug 2023 evacuation of patients from Yellowknife. Living in BC.