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Recognize problems.
make better decisions.

With Barefoot Wild Med, you'll learn to think more critically and build the confidence you need to handle anything from a sprained ankle to a full-on traumatic or medical emergency.  Gain knowledge and skills meant to be used no matter where you play.

BWM partners as a licensed training company with Wilderness Medical Associates International (WMAI). When you take a course with us, you'll enjoy a curriculum set as "the standard by which all other wilderness medical providers are judged."

Keep it
simple.

Cramming a ton of info into your brain just so you can forget it after class is 100% not our style. In fact, that “strategy” is a huge waste of both our time and your hard-earned money! We strive to keep medicine simple and present problems and their solutions in a way that make sense. When you learn the “why” behind your decisions you eliminate the need to know every possible thing that could go wrong. This approach helps you make connections, reduce overwhelm, and transfer your new knowledge to any future event.

Think more
critically.

Spoiler alert: Wilderness medicine is about so much more than DIY, MacGyver-y type pro-tips on how to save yourself from the perils of the backcountry. Our curriculum offers some serious thinking skills that will last you well beyond our time together. When you focus on critical thinking skills, learning wilderness medicine becomes so much easier. Instead of trying to memorize everything (which is impossible), you’ll learn to think in terms of serious or not serious, probability vs. consequence, and how to avoid high-risk solutions for low-risk problems. These skills ensure you treat your actual patient or situation, instead of relying on a blanket or cookbook approach.

make better
decisions.

What if you could be 100% sure you’ve checked what’s important to know your patient isn’t going to die on you in the next five minutes? What if you could say—without a doubt—that your decision to let someone stay on your trip was the right one. We’ll teach you how to support your choices using clear rationale and the best, most current evidence in wilderness medicine today. Stop second guessing and become the confident medical care provider and decision-making leader you know you can be!

Are you a: mid-day hiker, weekend warrior, professional guide?

Do you breathe and like to move your body outdoors?

Rescuer gathers a SAMPLE history and records findings on a SOAP note.
Rescuer reassesses breathing after administering an epi-pen (a trainer, don't worry!)
Rescuer performs a focused physical exam while a partner records any findings on the SOAP note.
Rescuer gathers a SAMPLE history and records findings on a SOAP note.
Rescuer checks a patient's pulse as part of collecting vital signs.
Home: Testimonials

“I’ve taken 8 + recert courses and Katie was one of my best instructors. I liked that she urged us to use common sense and think through things rather than just memorize the book.

Anonymous | WFR Recert student

Home: About

About Barefoot Wild Med

Headshot of Katie Woods in a red jacket with black hat and sunglasses.
IMG_7739_edited.jpg

Barefoot Wild Med is owned by Katie Woods: lead instructor, licensed health care provider (athletic trainer, WEMT, ski patroller), and outdoor enthusiast (primarily boating, hiking, camping, biking & skiing). 

Barefoot Wild Med is a WMAI Licensed Training Company (LTC), authorized to teach WMA's wilderness medicine curriculum and certify students under their name. That means, when you graduate from one of our courses, you are certified with WMA. You can learn more about WMAI LTCs here.

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Our teaching philosophy is centered around empowering students to learn how to think critically for themselves and transfer their knowledge to new situations.

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