Welcome to the Upstate
A one-year* medical fellowship in wilderness and rescue medicine designed to provide fellows with practical skillsets within the field of austere medicine.
*The option to extend the fellowship to two years can be considered, based on individual fellow goals.
Core Wilderness Training
The fellow will engage in several core clinical experiences, including: ​
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Special rescue team member
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Active response to lost persons, injured hikers, swiftwater rescue, low and high angle rescues
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Monthly meeting and training, in addition to special event coverage
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Dive rescue team member
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Active response to all incidents on flat water, including drownings and boating incidents
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Monthly meeting and training
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Appalachian mountain rescue team​
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External rotation with PSAR in Great Smoky Mountains National Park​
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Clinical rotation with Divers Alert Network​ learning hyperbaric medicine and providing clinical support for dive-related incidents
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External rotation in high altitude environment (several options available depending on fellow goals)
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Specific training in outdoor skillsets from experts, including local guiding organizations
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The fellow should plan for frequent call outs during the year, and up to 4 weeks of domestic and up to 12 weeks of international travel durning their fellowship.
Rescue Medicine Training
At RAW MED, we offer a specialized rescue medicine training program that prepares physicians to respond on the ground to rescue events. Our curriculum includes hands-on training in:
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Technical rope rescue
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Lost person behavior and tracking
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Backcountry patient transport and extrication
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Boat and rescue vehicle operations
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Swiftwater rescue
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Dive rescue
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Sonar search techniques
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Underwater drone piloting
Didactics
The fellow will have the opportunity to learn from from faculty and participate in the following:
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Monthly tabletop didactic sessions
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Quarterly didactic sessions with the resident Wilderness Medicine Track
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Quarterly journal club
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Weekly conference of the department of emergency medicine
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Annual meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society, or other organizational meeting
Research
Part of the core responsibility of a wilderness fellow is to be engaged academically and contribute to the medical literature. The RAW MED fellow will be expected to complete a research project:
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Current research topics include crotalid envenomation, toxic mushroom species, and cognitive dysfunction at altitude
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Previous research includes advanced treatment for frostbite
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The fellow will have access to mentors and a statistician to help complete their project
Certifications
Wilderness fellows are expected to obtain certifications and training germane to the wilderness rescue environment:
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High angle rescue technician (SC)
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Swiftwater rescue technician (SC/NC)
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Open water/advanced open water diver (SC)
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AIARE 1 (NH)
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WLS:MP (SC)
Depending on fellow goals and experience, pursuit of the following is also supported:​
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DiMM
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DiDMM
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Rescue diver
Educator
Hone your skills as a wilderness educator. As a fellow with RAW MED, you will have the opportunity to participate and teach in the following:
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Didactic meetings with the resident wilderness medicine track
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Resident electives in wilderness medicine
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Annual two week medical student elective in wilderness medicine
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Annual M4 wilderness race day
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Wilderness life support for medical professionals
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Lectures for local rescue teams and guiding organizations
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Wilderness Toxicology
The fellow will sharpen their skills in wilderness toxicology. The Upstate is home to several venomous snake species, and we see and treat approximately 60 bites each year. In addition, there are dozens of other local venomous species and poisonous plants and mushrooms that serve as the basis for a robust education in wilderness toxicology.
Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in:
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Prisma health toxicology consult service and clinic
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South Carolina Upstate Mycological Society
Optional Experiences
In addition to the described curriculum and activities, the fellow may have the opportunity to participate in the following:
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Ultra race medical coverage (Barkley, TN, regional races in Carolinas)
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United States Forest Service:
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In-field fire response​
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Lectures/medic education
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South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team
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Additional technical rescue training:​
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Confined space​
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Trench rescue
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ICS courses
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Mountain rescue technician
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North Carolina rescue ropes symposium
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Himalayan Rescue Association (Nepal)​
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Hyperbaric certification
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Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital, Tapting, Nepal
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Special rescue training with National Park Service
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The curriculum is flexible and the fellow is welcome to participate or engage in any other activity or event that is appropriate to the practice of wilderness or rescue medicine, pending approval of the director. If you have a particular interest or niche within rescue or wilderness medicine, we can help you develop it.
