Remote and rural practitioner module

The remote practitioner module provides students with an insight to the realities of working in remote and austere environments. 

We explore the opportunities of wilderness medicine as well as the environmental, physical and psychological challenges associated with working as a remote practitioner. 

Much of the taught component is spent outdoors to give you a realistic understanding of managing patients in the field. 

This module is suitable for any clinician who will be using their skills in a remote, wilderness, expedition or rural setting.

Key topics covered include: 

• Preparation: medico-legal considerations, medical kits, mental health, evacuation (including aeromedical). 
  
• Austere environments: heat illness, hypothermia, tropical medicine. 
  
• Practical skills: navigation, ropes and slings, packaging and moving casualties, primary and secondary survey in the field.  
  
• Search and rescue simulation. 
  
• Expedition specifics: dive medicine, expedition dentistry. 

This module is taught through a mixture of scenarios, practical sessions, lectures and interactive debate. This is supplemented through self-directed learning, supported tutorials and completion of the assignments. It is run as two three day blocks in the spring/ early summer. The first block is on the university site and includes a visit to the Diving Diseases Research Centre. The second block is a residential practical stay on Dartmoor.