Wilderness Medicine
Why NOLS Wilderness Medicine
Over 30 years of teaching emergency medical care in remote environments. Our data-informed curriculum, expert educators, and hands-on scenarios prepare you for the real challenges of wilderness response.
Over 30 Years
Wilderness medicine education built in the field, refined by data
NOLS offers wilderness medicine courses that prepare you to recognize, treat, and prevent injuries and illnesses common in the outdoors.
You'll learn NOLS' industry-leading, data-informed curriculum and build new skills through hands-on practice scenarios.
Why Choose NOLS
Four reasons people choose NOLS Wilderness Medicine
From instructors to curriculum to skills practice, every part of a NOLS Wilderness Medicine course is built to make you ready when help is hours away.
Your Wilderness Medicine Instructors
NOLS instructors are expert educators with deep medical and wilderness leadership experience, veterans, NPS rangers, outdoor educators, flight nurses, and more.
Immersive Curriculum
Built by industry experts, field tested by expedition instructors, and informed by decades of injury and illness data so you're prepared for the most likely incidents in the backcountry.
Essential Wilderness Skills
Patient assessment, wound management, splinting, evacuation, and improvisation with limited resources, the skills that matter when you're on your own.
Risk Management Mindset
Recognize complications early, make informed decisions under pressure, and prioritize patient wellbeing in environments where help is distant or unavailable.
From our graduates
What students say after the course
Real responses from people who took NOLS Wilderness Medicine into the field.
Wilderness First Responder graduate
Outdoor educator
I came in as a working RN and left with a completely new framework for assessment in resource-limited settings. The instructors were the best part, field-tested and clear.
Wilderness EMT graduate
Registered Nurse
Wilderness Medicine at NOLS
Find the right course for where you are
From a 2-day intro to the 26-day intensive, our courses meet outdoor enthusiasts, professionals, and healthcare providers at their level.
Wilderness First Aid (WFA)
2-day, hands-on introduction to managing common injuries and serious emergencies. No prior experience required.
Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
10-day industry standard for guides, trip leaders, search and rescue, and outdoor educators.
Wilderness EMT (WEMT)
26-day intensive that combines urban EMT certification with wilderness medicine training.
For Medical Professionals
Specialized courses with CMEs that adapt your urban medical training to the unique challenges of remote settings.
Why our training holds up in the field
Train at the NOLS Wyss Campus in Lander, Wyoming
Specifically designed for teaching wilderness medicine, the Wyss Campus pairs cutting-edge, environmentally friendly facilities with sweeping views of Lander's Red Canyon. Two indoor classrooms, immediate access to outdoor practice space, cabin-style housing, and on-campus meals, all powered by solar, geothermal heating and cooling, and composting systems.
Get Started
Ready to be ready?
Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast, healthcare professional, or aspiring wilderness leader, NOLS Wilderness Medicine prepares you for the call.
