Canadian Association of Wilderness Medicine

2025 AGM and Board of Directors Election
2025-10-05 07:00 - 08:00 (America/Edmonton) | COAST Canmore Hotel and Conference Centre, 511 Bow Valley Trail, Canmore, Alberta, T1W 1N7, Canada
Join us on Sunday October 5 at 7:00 MT for the CAWM Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Board of Directors Election! The AGM will take place at the Coast Canmore Hotel and virtually on Zoom. All CAWM members are welcome to attend.

CAWM2025
2025-10-03 - 2025-10-05 | COAST Canmore Hotel and Conference Centre, 511 Bow Valley Trail, Canmore, Alberta, T1W 1N7, Canada
Our 6th annual CAWM conference will take place in Canmore Alberta from October 3-5, 2025 with pre-conference activities taking place October1-2, 2025. Join us for 3 full days of Wilderness Medicine lectures, workshops, networking, and more!

CAWM MLIG Journal Club - Session #1 Pilot
2025-09-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Online
Journal Club is designed to be a casual yet engaging event where we practice reviewing and critically appraising articles on hot topics in Wilderness Medicine.

The goal is twofold
1.⁠ ⁠To expose medical students to the field of wilderness medicine.
2.⁠ ⁠To help students practice the skills they’ll use in residency, where journal clubs are a regular part of training.
Format
Introduce your article – Start with the title, authors, and publication details.
Summarize the article – Briefly review the background/introduction, study design and methods, main results, and the authors’ conclusions.
Critically appraise – Highlight the strengths and limitations of the study. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists are a great resource to structure your appraisal, but feel free to adapt them to your style. You can integrate it into your summary above or appraise the article after your summary – whatever you see fit. Link to the CASP checklists here:https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists/
Lead the discussion – Wrap up with your own thoughts on the article’s relevance to Wilderness Medicine and invite group discussion.
Supervisor Requirement
Presenters are responsible for finding their own supervisor to help select and approve the article or guideline. This person does not need to be an MD—we encourage interdisciplinary collaboration whenever possible (e.g., PhD’s, paramedics, physiotherapists, nurses, researchers, or other allied health professionals). Supervisors provide guidance on article choice and support the presenter in preparing their critical appraisal.
Additional Information
While we encourage you to follow the above structure, Journal Club is meant to be interactive and low-pressure. The focus is on learning together, sharing ideas, and exploring topics we’re passionate about. Feel free to make it your own, keep it engaging, and don’t be afraid to go off-script if discussion flows naturally.
Sessions will not be recorded so that everyone feels comfortable contributing openly.
Articles presented at each Journal Club are available HERE.
We encourage in-person “watch parties” with your local wilderness medicine club—half the fun is the camaraderie.
So grab a snack, a drink, and join in on a fun way to learn more about wilderness medicine!

40hr WFA with Intermediate First Aid
2025-08-16 - 2025-08-24, 2025-06-14 - 2025-06-22, 2025-06-12 - 2025-06-20, 2025-06-02 - 2025-06-05, 2025-05-20 - 2025-05-23 | University of Calgary
This event is hosted by a CAWM Professional Member – Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine. The 40-hour Wilderness First Aid and Intermediate First Aid Blended program is delivered over 4 days (32 hours) and supplemented with online learning. In-person sessions take place both in a classroom and outdoors.
This course is suitable for those who work in a `non-standard` environment and for those who take on a leadership role in the backcountry. It is the “industry standard” for those who lead youth and adult groups in the outdoors. The course is not suitable for those who will be venturing into truly remote regions for an extended period of time with no additional help available to them.

CAWM Wilderness Medicine Race
2025-07-26 | Kingston, Ontario, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
The CAWM Wilderness Medicine Race is a team trail race traveled on foot. Teams of 3-4 will begin at the trailhead and encounter various wilderness medicine scenarios, challenges, and questions along the course of the race.
More information is available here: https://cawm.ca/cawm-wilderness-medicine-race/

Swift Water Rescue
2025-07-12 - 2025-07-13, 2025-06-21 - 2025-06-22, 2025-06-14 - 2025-06-15, 2025-06-07 - 2025-06-08, 2025-05-31 - 2025-06-01, 2025-05-24 - 2025-05-25, 2025-05-10 - 2025-05-11 | University of Calgary
This event is hosted by a CAWM Professional Member – Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine. This 2 day Swift Water Rescue course includes Swift Water Rescue Levels 1 and 2.
Swift Water Rescue training is based on and taught to current NFPA Standards 1670 & 1006.
Swift Water Rescue 1 focuses on self-rescue skills for open, moving water activities. Basic personal safety equipment, open water swimming skills, and rescue principles are introduced.
Swift Water Rescue 2 builds on the foundational self-rescue skills from Swift Water Rescue 1. Swimming skills and techniques for a variety of open, moving water environments will be introduced. Focus is placed on technique and equipment usage in the rescue of others.

Raven RSM - WFR Recert/Bridge
2025-06-22 - 2025-06-25 | Smithers, BC, Smithers, British Columbia, Canada
*Please note this is NOT a CAWM event and is published on behalf of a CAWM professional member – Raven RSM*
Wilderness First Responder Bridge Course hosted by Raven RSM. Registration is via the Raven RSM website:https://www.ravenrsm.com/
Contact info@ravenrsm.com with any questions.

80hr WFR with Advanced First Aid
2025-06-20 - 2025-06-26, 2025-05-22 - 2025-05-28
This event is hosted by a CAWM Professional Member – Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine. The 80 hr Wilderness First Responder Program is a comprehensive, professional level program. It is the “industry standard” for professional responders such as guides, leaders and specialized search and rescue teams. The program focuses on the long-term implications for initial care, stabilization and evacuation of patients in remote wilderness locations. The primary focus of the program is dealing with backcountry emergencies, where specialized equipment is largely unavailable. Scenarios provide participants with opportunities to manage different situations, where conventional techniques may not work and where the rescuer must use the “principles of treatment” for effective outcomes.

80hr WFR with Intermediate First Aid
2025-06-02 - 2025-06-11

40hr WFA with Intermediate First Aid
2025-05-31 - 2025-06-08, 2025-05-10 - 2025-05-18
This event is hosted by a CAWM Professional Member – Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine. This 40-hour course is designed for those who take on a leadership role in the outdoors. This is the industry standard for those who lead custodial groups in the backcountry, teachers, raft guides and trip leaders. This level of certification is required by many companies, school boards, camps and youth organizations. The course is delivered over 4 days (32 hours) and supplemented with online learning.

Raven RSM - WFR Bridge/Recert
2025-05-20 - 2025-05-23 | Star 6 Ranch, Exshaw, Alberta, Canada

Raven RSM - WAFA
2025-05-16 - 2025-05-19 | Star 6 Ranch, Exshaw, Alberta, Canada
*Please note this is NOT a CAWM event and is published on behalf of a CAWM professional member – Raven RSM*
Wilderness Advanced First Aid Course hosted by Raven RSM. Registration is via the Raven RSM website:https://www.ravenrsm.com/
Contact info@ravenrsm.com with any questions.

Mountain Med Consulting - WFR (80hr Hybrid)
2025-05-09 - 2025-05-13 | Nelson, BC
*Please note that this is NOT a CAWM course. This event is posted of behalf of a CAWM professional member – Mountain Med Consulting*
Wilderness First Responder, 80hr Hybrid course hosted by MMC. Register here: https://www.mountainmedconsulting.com/courses/p/wilderness-first-responder-80hr-hybrid-may-9-13-2025-nelson

CASEM Annual Sport Medicine Symposium
2025-05-07 - 2025-05-10 | Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
Guiding the Future: Lighting the Way for Sport Medicine
Join us in 2025 at the Delta Prince Edward by Marriott and PEI Convention Centre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island!
CASEM is excited to offer a series of pre- and post-conference workshops, along with a premier scientific program designed to educate and update physicians and health professionals on a broad range of sport and exercise medicine topics.
More information and registration: https://www.casem-acmse.org/annual_symposium/2025/

Raven RSM - WAFA
2025-05-07 - 2025-05-11 | Smithers, BC, Smithers, British Columbia, Canada

Raven RSM - WFR Bridge/Recert
2025-05-05 - 2025-05-08 | Madawaska Kanu Centre, Barry's Bay, Ontario, Canada

Raven RSM - WAFA
2025-05-01 - 2025-05-04 | Madawaska Kanu Centre, Barry's Bay, Ontario, Canada

80hr WFR with Intermediate First Aid
2025-04-28 - 2025-05-08 | University of Calgary
