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Jungle Medicine

 

JUNGLE MEDICINE COURSE ON THE PACUARE RIVER, COSTA RICA. 
9 - 15 November 2008 - open for applications

A Jungle and Tropical Medicine course set on the stunning Pacuare River, Costa Rica.   As featured in the British Medical Journal and as the Editor's Choice

COURSE LIMITED TO 30 PLACES 

A proportion of your course fee goes to support the work of 'Kids Saving the Rainforest'.




£ 1250   Costa Rica, Pacuare River,    9th - 15th November 2008

Email us for an information pack or download an application form

 
Expedition Medicine have developed an exciting and comprehensive course for all those medical professionals responsible for clients, patients or team members in a tropical or jungle environment. The course aims to introduce participants to the skills required to be a valuable member of a jungle expeditionary team, and to care for and treat injuries and illnesses likely to occur in this exciting environment.

The tutors will develop the skills of the participants through practical sessions and hands on experience, treating snake bites, identifying tropical diseases, heat related illnesses and managing the health of an expedition in the field. The days will be used to experience and develop jungle survival skills, travelling in the jungle on land or by river, setting up camp, river crossing, cooking and lighting fires, managing casualties and evacuating them when needed. And much more. Skills without which a successful medical response is extremely difficult.

If you have ever considered working on a tropical or jungle expedition, a rafting expedition, or simply having the experience of your life time, this is the course for you.

The Jungle Medicine Team has been caring for and instructing jungle skills in the tropics for 20 years. They have a wealth of experience working as medical professionals in Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Guatamala and Borneo, providing medical cover on expeditions involving rafting, kayaking, trekking and climbing. The Outdoor Instructors draw on the skills developed over years of teaching and being taught by both American and British specialist forces, and working as guides and expedition leaders in jungle environments. Despite being an eclectic mixture they are approachable, friendly and inspirational. They aim to guide you through the course ensuring that the course is both informative and enjoyable.

We are delighted to have Dr Mark Read as our Expedition Leader on our Costa Rica Course. Mark Read is a wildlife biologist who specialises in dangerous animals. One of Australia’s most respected crocodile biologists, Mark has spent 15 years working with these animals in Australia, Papua New Guinea and South Africa. He has spent much of that time leading teams in remote locations; counting, catching and researching crocodiles and trying to learn more about these miss-understood animals. Mark joins us on our Jungle Medicine course as an accomplished outdoors man and has experience working in Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, Antarctica and Central and South America. 

Course Feedback


'Combining a superb location along with some of the best instructors in this speciality this course promises to be truly ground breaking'. Mark Hannaford FRGS FRSA, Across the Divide Expeditions.

British Medical Journal Editors Choice: "It's a jungle out there.Before you flip past our leading article because expedition medicine has never appealed, I'd urge you to think again. The authors' excitement for expedition medicine comes across clearly and makes a compelling case for this specialty. However, this course isn't all about saving people from the jaws of jaguars. Rainforest survival skills ought to transfer to any situation where leadership, teamwork, and risk assessment are called for. 

If your preferred way of expanding your management skills has been hitting the books, you might like to consider study leave in the Costa Rican rainforest instead. While it's true that most doctors are more likely to be woken by a bleep rather than a howler monkey, pursuit of tropical topics can expand your grasp of medical management. Like medicine, jungle life can be exciting, unforgiving, and risky.

Orienteering skills ought to be useful too. Like finding a way through the jungle, steering your way through a medical career can feel disorienting and harsh. As the song goes, "If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere."

The price includes, accommodation, meals (unless otherwise stated), course manual, rental of all equipment and all course activities.

The only additional cost is for your flights, hotel on arrival night, drinks, items of a personal nature and travel insurance.  You can buy your travel insurance from Across the Divide Expeditions.  Once you have purchased your flights please let us know so we can put you in touch with our local training team who can arrange your transfers.

There is the option of staying and arranging further rainforest trekking,rafting and general travel activities, please contact us for further details.


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