Hello all,
We are medical students at the
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and are two of the directors
of the Medical Wilderness Adventure Race (MedWAR). This event is
an annual race that combines medical scenarios and physical challenges for
participants to complete. This is an incredible opportunity for students,
health care providers, and outdoor sports lovers to gain first-hand experience
in wilderness medicine while having an exciting outdoor adventure! More
information can be found at http://www.medwar.org/southeast. We were
hoping you might forward the following message and flier out through your
listserv and or/any newsletter you might have for your students or healthcare
staff. Also, feel free to send this out to any of your outdoor-loving friends
who you think might enjoy learning more wilderness medicine and participating
in an adventure race. We appreciate your time!
It’s the middle of the summer,
and you and a group of your close friends are climbing on Mt. Rainier in
Washington when one of your friends steps on a loose rock and slides 15 feet
down a steep incline. They slam into a large boulder. From your perspective,
you can see that their arm and leg are stuck out at odd angles. Your friend is
unconscious and does not respond when you call out. Would you be
able to assess your friend’s injuries and provide the potentially life-saving
medical treatment they require in a resource-limited setting? Would you
be able to evacuate your friend in a way that is safe to them and to yourself?
MedWAR is a wilderness adventure
race that couples medical challenges (such as the one presented above) that
test participants’ knowledge of wilderness medicine with physical challenges
that test participants’ strength and endurance. Health care workers at all
levels, students, and outdoor adventure lovers are invited to participate in
the race. Participants are required to participate in teams of four people. The
race began at the Medical College of Georgia many years ago and has since
spread across the country. Some of the challenges participants will face
include hiking, bike riding, land navigation, kayaking, and running.
Throughout the race, participants will have to treat simulated injuries and a
variety of other simulated medical conditions one might encounter in the
backcountry or in emergency situations in general. To complete the medical
challenges and progress through the race, teams will have to correctly assess
and treat the medical conditions or face penalties as they race to the finish
line. This is an exciting opportunity to get outside and participate in some
fun outdoor sports and have a blast with health care providers at all levels
and with other people interested in wilderness medicine and outdoor adventures!
The race is April 14th,
so mark your calendars! Registration dates are as follows: Early registration- February 1st-14th; Regular registration-
February 15th-March 15th; Late
registration- March 16th-30th. Sign up as soon as you can because
spots fill up fast! This is one adventure race you do not want to miss. If
you have any questions about the race, give us a shout out on social media or
e-mail us at one of the e-mails listed below.
Cheers,
M1 MedWAR Directors
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
