So You Wanna Be A...?

CAWM Webinar Series (SYWBA)

Questions About How to Start Your Career in Wilderness Medicine?

Each episode of SYWBA will feature a speaker from a different career in wilderness medicine. Paramedics, SARtechs, physicians, nurses, mountain guides, and more! The first two episodes (November and March) will be free for all to attend, future episodes will only be accessible to CAWM members.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this series, participants will be able to…

Identify key education pathways necessary for a career in various fields of wilderness medicine
Recognize the different possible career paths in wilderness medicine
Identify the necessary steps required to pursue a career in wilderness medicine

SYWBA Wilderness Paramedic

Episode 1 - Premieres Tuesday Nov 7th @ 6pm MST

Aired: Nov 7, 2023 - 6:00PM MST

Speaker: Mackenzie 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.

Aired: March 27, 2024 @ 18:00 MST via Zoom

Speaker: Carolyn-Kelly Smith MD, FRCPC, ICAR, DMM

Carolyn is an FRCPC trained in Emergency Medicine. She works as a Emergency Physician and Trauma Team Leader at Royal Columbian Hospital. Growing up in Squamish BC led to an early love of wilderness and mountain activities. During her residency she sought out subspecialty training in wilderness and mountain medicine and completed the IKAR Diploma in Mountain Medicine in Europe. She has since helped found the Canadian Society of Mountain Medicine and was a course director for the Canadian version of the DiMM. She combines her interest in the outdoors with emergency medicine by working as a physician for Whistler Blackcomb ski patrol, North Shore Search and Rescue and Mike Weigele’s Heliskiing. She has also spent time volunteering as a physician for the Himalaya Rescue Association in Nepal and on Kilimanjaro with a previous helicopter rescue service.

Aired: April 24th @ 18:00 MST via Zoom

Speaker: Justin "Jay" Darbyshire

Born on the coast and raised in the Kootenays Justin “Jay” Darbyshire possesses a deep passion for exploring landscape through outdoor recreation. He is a Team Leader and Search Manager with Grand Forks Search and Rescue as well as the operations officer and logistics officer. In addition to volunteering with GFSAR Jay is Mountain Operations Manager at Keefer Lake Lodge Catskiing, an Event Medic with Canadian Outdoor Medical Consulting and volunteers with the Red Resort Ski Patrol. His background in public and commercial recreation gives him a broad perspective on risk management and public safety in the mountains.

Please log in or purchase a CAWM membership to access the episode.