Publications
An Introduction to the Medical Wilderness Adventure Race (MedWAR)
Steve Donelan. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, Vol. 14, Issue 4, p272. Published in issue: December 2003.
Abstract: First-aid competitions have a long history. For example, the American Red Cross helped publicize its first-aid classes (which began in 1910) by holding first-aid contests all over the United States.1 These contests are still held in some states, though they have become much less common. St John Ambulance also has a long tradition of first-aid competitions, going back more than a century. St John Ambulance, like the Red Cross, is a volunteer-based organization that provides first-aid services and training.
The Medical Wilderness Adventure Race (MedWAR): A 2-Year Perspective on a Unique Learning Experience
David James Ledrick. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, Vol. 14, Issue 4, p273–276. Published in issue: December 2003.
Abstract: Effective medical education requires a combination of didactic instruction and practical experience. Although most medicine can be taught in a clinic or hospital where patients are readily available, the challenge of providing a good, practical wilderness medicine experience is that both students and teachers must leave this traditional setting. Students must be provided with an opportunity to practice medicine. In many medical fields, instructors are able to perform their clinical duties while they are teaching.
A Cost-Effective Simulation Model for Surgical Airway Placement.
David Ledrick, Michael Omori, Christopher Calvert. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, Vol. 18, Issue 2, p148-151. Published in issue: June 2007.
To the Editor: We hold an annual continuing medical education event that challenges providers to perform a number of simulated emergency procedures.1 The event occurs in a wilderness setting with simultaneous supervision and monitoring of a relatively large number of learners. Typically, participants are required to demonstrate airway management including acquiring a surgical airway. The course participants have a large variation in experience and training and include non–medical personnel, EMT/ paramedics, nurses, medical students, residents, and attending physicians. In order to run this course we have created an airway model that allows learners to perform a surgical airway. This model is inexpensive and allows rapid turnover. It is easily constructed and offers reasonable anatomic verisimilitude. We offer it here as a suggestion to other instructors who have similar needs and a limited budget.
Hillary R. Irons, John F. Dery. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, Vol. 23, Issue 2, p192. Published in issue: June 2012.
Abstract: Effective medical education requires both didactic instruction and practical hands-on experience. Wilderness medicine presents unique challenges including environmental concerns and limited resources. Medical Wilderness Adventure Race (MedWAR) was developed to teach and test knowledge and skills specific to wilderness medicine by incorporating simulated medical scenarios into an adventure race. This event has gained acceptance nationally in wilderness medical circles as an excellent way to appreciate the challenges of wilderness medicine; however, its effectiveness as a teaching tool has not yet been verified.
Can Novice Practitioners Interpret Ultrasound Images in a Wilderness Setting?
Andrew Nyberg, Halsey Heinselman, Mohamad Moussa, David Ledrick, Michael Omori, Michael Caudell. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. Vol. 24, Issue 3, p292. Published in issue: September 2013.
Abstract: As portable ultrasound (US) devices are becoming lighter, smaller, cheaper and more durable, the feasibility of US use in wilderness medicine (WM) applications is being explored. A barrier to US use is the training of providers. Studies have already examined the WM provider’s ability to create appropriate images in wilderness settings. Few studies have looked at training providers to appropriately use US images to independently make decisions about treatment and evacuation.
The Economic Impact of a Medical Adventure Race
David Ledrick, Michael Omori, Michael Caudell. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. Vol. 26, Issue 1, p104–105. Published in issue: March 2015.
Abstract: Over the past 10 years, our residency has been hosting a wilderness medicine continuing medical education event in southeast Michigan.1,2 This event incorporates medical challenges into an adventure race format. The result is that it is very popular among medical students and residents, with many schools returning with several teams each year. The concept of incorporating medical challenges into an adventure race has gained popularity, and there are many similar events around the country. A number of years ago we created the North American Educational Adventure Racing Association (NAEAR) to help proliferate and coordinate these events.
Presentations
The Wilderness Medical Adventure Challenge: a Unique Learning Opportunity. D. Ledrick, R. Schwartz. H. Gross, M. Caudell, B. Bushnell, C. Carpenter, J. Young. Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) Annual International Meeting, Whistler BC. August 2001. Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Southeastern Regional Meeting, Jacksonville FL. April 2002.
The Wilderness Medical Adventure Challenge: a 5 Year Prospective on a Unique Learning Opportunity. Innovations in Emergency Medicine Education Exhibit. D. Ledrick, M. Omori, M. Caudell. SAEM National Meeting, San Francisco CA. May 2006.
An Inexpensive Model for Teaching Novice Learners Surgical Airway Skills. C. Calvert, D. Ledrick, M. Omori. Midwest Regional SAEM Meeting, Akron OH. September 2006.
Improvement in Participant’s Didactic Performance During a Prolonged Wilderness Medicine Experience. D. Ledrick, J. Rice, M. Caudell, H. Irons, M. Omori. Midwest Regional SAEM Meeting, Toledo OH. November 2011.
Medical Wilderness Adventure Race (MedWAR) is an Effective Teaching Tool for Wilderness Knowledge and Skills. D. Ledrick, J. Rice, M. Caudell, H. Irons, M. Omori. Midwest Regional SAEM Meeting, Toledo OH. November 2011.
Can Novice Practitioners Interpret Ultrasound Images in a Wilderness Setting? A. Nyberg, H. Heinselman, M. Moussa, D. Ledrick, M. Omori, M. Caudel. Wilderness Medical Society Conference, Park City UT. February 2013.
A Cost Effective Model for Teaching Chest Tube Insertion to Novice Practitioners. M. Omori, D. Ledrick. SAEM National Meeting, Indianapolis IN. September 2015.
Constructing Cost-effective Simulation Models for use in an Austere Environment: Cricothyrotomy, Penetrating Eye Injury and Resuscitation Bag. C. Owens, A. Brown, W. Ealick, M. Sinkler, B. Bennett, M. Caudell, T. Haston. WMS Summer Conference, Crested Butte CO. July 2019.