Belize Institute for Tropical & Wilderness Medicine

Wilderness & International Medicine Rotation
For Resident Physicians & Upper Level Medical
& Allied Heath Students
2004 Curriculum

The Wilderness & International Medicine Rotation will provide the advanced wilderness and international medical skills & knowledge needed to recognize and stabilize life threatening illness and injury, as well as treat a variety of common minor problems. Basic search and rescue skills as well as personal safety and survival skills are integral to providing effective care in wilderness and international settings, and will be practiced extensively in the course, along with basic disaster response and related topics.

The rotation consists of two weeks of self study coupled with practical field instruction in the country of Belize, Central America. The field portion consists of a fourteen-day module with two days off in the middle of the program. The program will be conducted at the Institute’s Sibun River Training Base, a modern classroom & housing facility, with field exercises being conducted in the surrounding jungle, caves, and river areas. The field program is unique and very challenging – physically, but even more so mentally and emotionally – you will face challenges unlike those that you have faced before – and emerge a much stronger medical provider, technically and personally. The difficult challenge this program represents is a consistent theme prior students have commented on – and they have universally praised not only what they have learned about medicine, but what they have learned about themselves.

Note: This program is physically demanding - you do not need to be a world class athlete - but you do need to be able to walk up and down steep muddy hills with the equivalent of a 20 pound pack in high heat and humidity, function in dark and narrow spaces for brief periods, and be able to swim in water deeper than your height with the aid of a life jacket. All of our students to date have had little problem in meeting these challenges.

Instructors for this program are physicians and Paramedic instructors with extensive real world emergency medicine, wilderness, developing country, and teaching experience who have been working in Belize and around the world for many years. They are assisted by Belize National Cave & Wilderness Rescue Team medics who have completed an instructor development program, and other specially qualified staff, including selected honor graduates from prior programs.

All specialty gear and equipment will be provided. All students will be issued a rescue/caving helmet, webbing, rope, jungle hammock, and life jacket for use in the program. Students are responsible for all other personal gear as specified in the individual equipment list provided to you.

Join us for the adventure of a lifetime!