Northwest Wilderness Medicine Conference

The 3rd annual Northwest Wilderness Medicine Conference on January 4th-6th, 2019 is a special conference in that it is a conference by students & for students. The NWMC is jointly hosted by medical student leadership from the University of Washington, Pacific Northwest University, Oregon Health & Science University, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest, and Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. The conference is open to RN, PA, NP, DO, & MD students.

Each year, the schedule features speakers, practical skills sessions, mock scenarios, and case studies relating to wilderness medicine and patient care in remote settings.

NewGen Surgical donated 50 of our NGS35W skin staplers this year for training sessions. Other companies sponsoring include Remote Medical International. BTG, EVO, The North Face and Gaumard and others.

Of course, our first thought was the weather, snow, rain…mountain wilderness training and plant based medical devices might not mix, but then what better group of medical students to donate to than those close to what we are working to preserve?

Organizer and Chair Ryan LeBuhn, assured us indoor training takes place as well. From looking at the amazing pictures, we could not be happier to have supported this excellent program.

Four conclusions:

1) Holy bananas! Next year, if asked again we will donate simulated skin to go along with the staplers

2) Perfection in those stapling lines…WOW!

3) If ever on the slopes, in a natural disaster or hurt outside, these future doctors out there give us hope!

4) The future of medicine looks bright with these amazing students in it.