Expedition Medicine's Polar Medical Skills course is set in Northern Norway near the town of Alta within the Arctic Circle, over a 6-day period, at the height of the arctic winter. It represents, we believe, one of the best presented and comprehensive winter medical skills courses in Europe and routinely receives outstanding feedback from its delegates

The course has been developed for medical professionals, expedition and wilderness medics working in cold and at altitude environments. The Polar Medicine course aims to use the winter evenings covering the essential expedition medical skills required to care for and treat injuries and illnesses likely to occur in this harsh environment, whilst the days are spent in the field.

The Polar Medicine tutors will develop the skills of the participants through practical sessions and hands-on experience, rescuing and treating cold-water immersion, frostbite, altitude related illnesses and hypothermia, all managed whilst in the field, rather than the comfort of a lecture theatre. The polar days will be used to experience and develop winter survival skills, emergency shelters, navigation, firelighting, digging snow holes and avalanche awareness, as well as mastering the different techniques required to travel in the arctic - dog sledding, skiing, snow mobiling, and snow shoeing, without which a successful medical response is obsolete.

Polar Course - Faculty
Calling on the knowledge of polar medicine experiences from some of the most remote locations in the world and the skills of ex-Norwegian, British special forces and Royal Marine instructors with over 50 Polar seasons between them. There is no better way to prepare yourself for the rigours of wilderness medicine, and no better place than one Europe's last great wildernesses.

A proportion of your course fee goes to support the work of SAFER (SubAntarctic Foundation for Ecosystems Research.

 If you have ever considered working on a winter, polar, or high altitude expedition, a ski patrol, or simply having the experience of a life-time, then this course is for you.

Polar course - What to expect
This is a highly practical course that will introduce you to the polar environment and prepare you for expedition medical work in Arctic and Antarctic regions. You will experience firsthand the challenges and some of the solutions to travel (by ski, dog sled and snow mobile), living and providing medical support in the cold. We teach through a combination of small group or classroom work and practical activity, with a significant emphasis on experiential learning. Whilst you do not need to be an elite athlete, an adequate level of physical fitness will ensure you get as much out of the course as possible. As a guide, you should be able to walk at least 20km carrying a 15kg pack without assistance, and repeat this on more than two successive days in one week. The terrain we will encounter is highly variable; you will be expected to spend a full day on cross country skis which are very different to downhill skiing. All abilities from complete beginner to more advanced skiers can have a challenging and enjoyable day – we do find it is a great leveller.

Other days will be spent on a dog sled or snow mobile which can involve running up hill behind the sled pushing at times and can be relatively physical work. Plus there is the challenge of digging out a bogged snow machine.

We are unable to influence the weather. It is a cold environment and we do spend 2 nights out either camping or in snow holes. It is possible that there will be snow for many hours on some days of the course. Familiarising you with a cold climate is one of the principle objectives of this course; students who are able to tolerate a degree of physical discomfort whilst maintaining a sense of humour and enthusiasm will get the most from the week. 

The price includes, accommodation, meals, course manual and rental of all equipment including an arctic outer layer of clothing, outer boots and all course activities.

The only additional cost is for your flights, items of a personal nature and travel insurance. You can buy your travel insurance from Across the Divide. You can buy your flights from any reputable travel agent and there is only one flight a day into Alta, www.kayak.co.uk is a good place to start.

'Fantastic faculty who adapted the experience depending on the doctor, challenging the more competent and supporting the less experienced' Polar medicine delegate

'Unforgettably fantastic a brilliantly run course!' Polar medicine delegate

'The standard of teaching was excellent and I would be grateful if all the staff could be thanked and congratulated on their lectures' Polar medicine delegate

'This course, is we believe, the most comprehensive winter medical skills course outside of the military in the whole of Europe'.
Steve Clark, Across the Divide Expeditions.

'Probably one of the best courses that you will ever do!' 'Incredibly well organised, and presented with an infectious enthusiasm' .
Past Polar Medicine delegate.