Wilderness EMT (WEMT) Course: Full Details & Curriculum
This page provides an in-depth look at our intensive WEMT program, designed for professionals seeking the fastest, most effective path to dual certification.
Course Overview: The Tactical Career Accelerator
This course is an unparalleled, intensive, 3-week training designed to bridge the gap between urban emergency medicine and the rugged backcountry. It prepares you to confidently treat a patient no matter where the emergency occurs.
Who Should Take This Course? This course is an ideal professional upgrade for those who need skills for diverse and remote environments. It's perfect for anyone who wants a career in emergency medicine but also has a passion for the outdoors.
It's especially convenient for those living in South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Iowa, Minnesota, and Colorado.
Ideal for Aspiring:
Rural EMS providers
Firefighters or Wildland Firefighters
Search and Rescue (SAR) members
Ski Patrollers
Expedition Guides
Military personnel
The Intensive 3-Week Curriculum
We’ve designed this course to be comprehensive and efficient. It's an intensive, hands-on training built to immerse you in both the skills and the mindset of a high-level provider.
Online Component
30 hours (Self-Paced)
Pre-course Reading & Concepts
Opens one month before the course; ensures you start prepared.
Week 1
50 hours
Wilderness Foundations (WFR)
Master patient assessment, improvisation, extended care, and environmental illnesses. Culminates in WFR Certification.
Week 2
80 hours
Urban Medicine & Skills Lab
Focused instruction of core urban emergency medicine. Hands-on skills labs covering pharmacology, cardiology, shock management, and trauma.
Week 3
10 hours Clinicals + Scenarios
Integration & Application
Full-scale, realistic simulations of both urban and wilderness emergencies. Primary focus is preparation to pass the NREMT Exam.
Location: The entire 3-week course will be held in the southern Black Hills in and around Custer, SD, including time in ambulances, hospital settings, and the wilderness environments you recreate and work in.
The Ride-Along/Clinical Component
A key component of our program is the invaluable experience you'll gain during ambulance ride-alongs and clinical time in the Black Hills. This gives you a chance to see skills in action and get a taste of the real-world pace of an EMS professional. We work with our partners to ensure all students get hands-on experience and observation in an active setting.
Credentials, Requirements, and Logistics
Certifications Received
Upon successful completion of all course work and exams, you will receive:
NREMT EMT-B (Eligible to sit for the National Registry Examination)
Wilderness First Responder (3-year certification)
CPR and AED (2-year certification)
Wilderness Anaphylaxis Training (WAT) (2-year certification)
Prerequisites & Requirements
This course is intensive and requires preparation. Participants must meet the following requirements:
Age: Participants must be 18 years of age or older. (We may allow students who are 17 to enroll with prior approval, but they must turn 18 within two years of course completion to be eligible for the National Registry Examination.)
Online Certificates: You must complete ICS 100 and ICS 700. Both are free, online courses that must be completed before the first day of class.
Instructor and Affiliation
Expert Instructor: Sam Smolnisky is a paramedic and search and rescue director with extensive experience on both wilderness medical calls and urban ambulance runs. As a former teacher, he is one of the few instructors who combines deep medical expertise with proven teaching skills.
Desert Mountain Medicine (DMM) Difference: We are proud to teach Desert Mountain Medicine (DMM) courses and believe they are the highest quality wilderness medicine has to offer:
DMM is a founding member of the Wilderness Medicine Education Collaborative (WMEC), actively setting best practice and industry standards since 1998.
Their field manual and curricula are updated regularly to ensure students receive the most up-to-date medical field research and treatment practices.
Housing & College Credit
Lodging: We’ve done the groundwork to find your affordable Custer, SD basecamp for the 3-week WEMT course. We have two fixed-rate housing options, including shared units from $333/month.
College Credit: College credits are available for this course through the University of Sioux Falls.
Please note: College-credit fees are in addition to course tuition.
