Just Finished class with NOLS

[ardsranger]

I think this was the longest 28 days of my life.
6 am to about 11pm very day (studying, Class, or practical outside ).

I posted my status of the Reg Test in the in the NREMT section on this forum. I think I passed it all

I am just waiting for NOLS to post the psychomotor section to NREMT.
NOLS told me congratulations on successful completion of your psycohomotor for your EMT

It was very challenging performing the EMT skills in the Colds of Wyoming.
Performing the skill in a outdoor environment was a great test of concentration in adverse condition (simulates "some" stress) in you delivery of skills. We were outside in temps of -19F: Splinting , Medical Exam, and Trauma assessments, Back board ETC.....

The class was a ball.
We were the 2nd class to use the new facilities at NOLS Lander Wy.
The class rooms were well equipped.
The meals provide were outstanding. You will be hard pressed to find better meals in any restaurant.

I am planning on enrolling in a A/P Class. I think it will be money well spent.
blessing

 

[KellyBracket]

Congrats - I assume this is for the wilderness EMT?

Sounds so good, maybe I need to go take a refresher. I think my WEMT for SOLO in New Hampshire is expired.

 

[MrJones]

Did you only do 1 round of psychomotor skills testing? When I attended SOLO at the NH campus we did 2 - one set outdoors for our wilderness cert and a 2nd set indoors, under the watchful eyes of a state monitor, for state/national EMT cert. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I took a summer course, so weather wasn't much of a factor.

 

[ardsranger]

Did you only do 1 round of psychomotor skills testing? When I attended SOLO at the NH campus we did 2 - one set outdoors for our wilderness cert and a 2nd set indoors, under the watchful eyes of a state monitor, for state/national EMT cert. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I took a summer course, so weather wasn't much of a factor.

Finished First Responder, WEMT and EMT

Grats on SOLO school, as my instructors said, SOLO, WMI, and NOLS are the leaders in the industry in WEMT. Im sure the SOLO school was extremely good as well.

Actually we did 2 round of psychomotor skills for WEMT and the State required round monitored by EMT's, Dr.s and Nurses for STATE Urban EMT

The 2nd round of WEMT skills was a scenario at Night in the cold of WY. That had volunteers come in with fake in juries and we had no clue of what we would run into.
The Scenario was a group of hikers were involved in a accident in the back country. WE had everything for a Femur broke with Arterial bleeding "spurting everywhere" to a dealing with a "mother" with minor injuries and a "dead" baby". Liter carries of avpu=p and so on. it was wild.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

I just graduated from the SOLO WEMT program Thursday, we did our Wilderness practicals in WFR stage, and practicals for EMT were Urban based.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Just curious why you chose a WEMT course. Are you planning on working in the wilderness? Are you a search & rescue member, DNR/BLM employee or camp hike leader?

 

[ardsranger]

Just curious why you chose a WEMT course. Are you planning on working in the wilderness? Are you a search & rescue member, DNR/BLM employee or camp hike leader?

for a few reasons
First i wanted to get it done is a shorter format, but i wanted a well established program to be part of.
2nd I teach Ropes Courses at camps which have delayed medical support and i do quite a bit with my son in boy scouts, wilderness stuff.
3rd i wanted to do EMT urban on 3 12 hour shifts so i had time to do scouting with my son and i feel this was the best fit for me.

 

[ardsranger]

I just graduated from the SOLO WEMT program Thursday, we did our Wilderness practicals in WFR stage, and practicals for EMT were Urban based.

Gratz on your completion.
I hear great things about solo, I was trying to decide to go to SOLO or NOLS. I choose NOLS partially because i could drive there 17 hours for me. SOLO would have been expensive with the class and airfare
I have been told by several people you can not go wrong with SOLO, WMI or NOLS for quality of schools

 

[NomadicMedic]

Good for you. Congrats on completing the course.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

SOLO, WMI, and NOLS are all the same original group of friends from the late 70's and early 80's. they have different schools and different programs, but the content and philosophy is the same.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Just curious why you chose a WEMT course. Are you planning on working in the wilderness? Are you a search & rescue member, DNR/BLM employee or camp hike leader?

I chose WEMT because i spend a lot of time in the back country and overseas. i am.also hoping to do volunteer work with various NGO's and Natural Disaster relief.

 

[EpiEMS]

I did my EMT and WEMT at SOLO, my motivation was that the program is run by a physician (who had been a medic, as well) and he lectures in courses. Additionally, the program allowed me to complete my EMT including NREMT within less than a month! It was the perfect program for me -- my classmates were all very intelligent people, most were college grads and/or ex-military, including some folks who were taking time off prior to medical or PA school, which made for a great environment to learn in!

 

[KellyBracket]

I did my EMT and WEMT at SOLO, my motivation was that the program is run by a physician (who had been a medic, as well) and he lectures in courses. Additionally, the program allowed me to complete my EMT including NREMT within less than a month! It was the perfect program for me -- my classmates were all very intelligent people, most were college grads and/or ex-military, including some folks who were taking time off prior to medical or PA school, which made for a great environment to learn in!

Plus, there's always the possibility that you'll get called out to a backcountry rescue in the White Mountains! NH Fish & Game love the extra labor.

 

[EpiEMS]

Plus, there's always the possibility that you'll get called out to a backcountry rescue in the White Mountains! NH Fish & Game love the extra labor.

I wish I had been! We got put on a standby of sorts, but never did get to go out, unfortunately! Got to speak with Fish & Game during their WFR refresher though, so that was cool.

 

[MrJones]

SOLO, WMI, and NOLS are all the same original group of friends from the late 70's and early 80's. they have different schools and different programs, but the content and philosophy is the same.

The origin of SOLO, WMA, WMI/NOLS, etc can be traced to Frank Hubbard et al (SOLO) when they began offering a wilderness first aid course in the mid-70s. When WMA was formed they collaborated with SOLO in developing and presenting the original WFR curriculum, and WMI began as "SOLO West", and continued to train the SOLO curriculum until they were acquired by NOLS. I would not be surprised to see "SOLO Southest" (NOC in Bryson City, NC) branch off into a separate organization at some point in the future

Each organization has their positives and negatives, but you can't go wrong choosing any of them if you're interested in learning more about wilderness medicine. With that said, the best wilderness medicine text currently on the market is "Wilderness Medicine", published by NOLS.

 

[Christopher]

Just curious why you chose a WEMT course. Are you planning on working in the wilderness? Are you a search & rescue member, DNR/BLM employee or camp hike leader?

I learned more in my WEMT class than I did my actual EMT class, but the honest answer is that was a function of our instructors (Landmark Learning, Cullowhee, NC).

 

[ardsranger]

Each organization has their positives and negatives, but you can't go wrong choosing any of them if you're interested in learning more about wilderness medicine. With that said, the best wilderness medicine text currently on the market is "Wilderness Medicine", published by NOLS.

The Wilderness Medicine text was very good

 

[CFal]

I want to do the WEMT upgrade but it is a little to pricey on a Ski Patrol paycheck.

 

[ardsranger]

I want to do the WEMT upgrade but it is a little to pricey on a Ski Patrol paycheck.

any chance your company may pick up the tab for it

 

[EpiEMS]

I want to do the WEMT upgrade but it is a little to pricey on a Ski Patrol paycheck.

If you're OEC as well as EMT, I would think you've already had a lot of the WEMT training. Granted, I loved my WEMT course and I found it to be very comprehensive regarding wilderness care as well as some expedition medicine.