RUHS Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Overview
One-year Wilderness Medicine Fellowship (starts July 1st)
Certified by
Mission
To provide a comprehensive, cutting-edge wilderness medicine education that combines the required technical skills, applied medical knowledge, and leadership training needed to explore and manage medical teams in austere environments.
Curriculum
We prepare our fellow to excel in the austere environment while fostering a deep understanding of both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Whether in a lecture hall, the pages of a textbook, the rugged landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park and Southern California mountain ranges, open water and rivers, or the cutting-edge realm of mobile learning, fellows will experience the breadth and depth of contemporary wilderness medicine.
Marine
Extensive exposure to diving and marine medicine through collaboration with a 3-week SCUBA certification course through the NOAA Dive Program, physician dive medicine training, as well as swift water rescue.
Mountain
Learn and apply search and rescue techniques from Riverside Mountain Rescue team as a formal member, participating in monthly trainings and assistance in SAR calls. Learn and utilize technical SAR skills among the mountains of Southern California both in the fall and the winter.
Desert
Leveraging the expansive & beautiful Joshua Tree National Park's location nearby, fellow will get exposure to rock climbing techniques as well as austere operations, tracking, and providing medical care in a desert through collaboration with Joshua Tree SAR.
Academic Experience
Gamified Curriculum
Fellows will have access to a unique online learning platform (WildernessDirector.com) that includes unlockable learning modules, progress tracking, and personalized content to reinforce key concepts in wilderness medicine and enhance the fellowship experience
Fellow Didactics
Deep dives into the monthly topics, reviewing Auerbach's text, case-based discussions, and real-world application, integrating up-to-date literature on the latest research and advancements in wilderness medicine
Journal Clubs
Exploration and critical analysis of recent wilderness medicine research with discussions on current best practices and emerging trends in the field
Lectures and Skills Training
Fellows have ample opportunities to create and deliver lectures on a range of wilderness medicine topics as well as hands-on skills training sessions covering everything from basic wilderness first aid to advanced rescue techniques
Research
Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing research projects and develop their own research projects in wilderness medicine
SonoWAR
Fellows work alongside local ultrasound fellows to organize and run this unique event that blends the worlds of ultrasound and wilderness medicine
Elective Opportunities
Fellows are encouraged to explore their professional interests. Potential elective opportunities include:
NOAA Expedition
Tropical Medicine
Event Medicine
Wongchhu Hospital
Certification
Our fellowship is certified by the Wilderness Medical Society, the world's leading organization in wilderness medicine education and research. Graduating fellows who have met all the requirements will be eligible for Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) certification upon graduation.
Clinical Work
- Fellowship funded by Vituity physician partnership
- Annual salary package over $125,000
- Comprehensive CME funding covers all approved fellowship activities
Clinical shifts worked at Riverside University Health System, a level 1 trauma center in Southern California and the pediatric trauma center for the county of Riverside. RUHS emergency department sees over 90,000 patients per year.