Programme Overview

Do you want to break from clinical conventions, develop skills that will enable you to think on your feet in an emergency setting, and save lives while travelling the world? Do you want the opportunity to have your work published?

Our part-time online Expedition and Wilderness Medicine MSc has been designed for any health professional who is interested in developing their career and credentials in this increasingly popular and competitive speciality.

This wilderness medicine course will also allow healthcare professionals to complete a professional project producing a piece of work, featuring a topic of personal interest in this specialist area. This master's in extreme medicine will allow you to fill the gaps between what you know and do not know and can mould you into an independent learner. You will also uncover an unknown passion for research and certainly develop your research-based skills in the most flexible way when you join our MSc extreme medicine programme.

Travel for both work and pleasure is becoming increasingly prevalent and travellers are seeking more adventurous trips going off the beaten path and challenging themselves.

In this emerging market, current job adverts are asking for doctors and other healthcare professionals (HCPs) with training, experience and specialisation in wilderness and expedition medicine. This is where a master's in extreme medicine can help.

Examples may include:

Adventure holidays
Charity work
Overseas employment: scenarios could be anything from climate research expeditions, treks and charity work, to going into space.
Our experienced faculty focus upon the practicalities of preparing for the expedition and also on the physiological and pathological impacts of expedition in remote and extreme locations.

The successful completion of this part-time and flexible wilderness medicine course will enable graduates to:

Apply evidence-based clinical skills and knowledge to minimise risk and maximise health before, during and after expeditions.
Develop skills and knowledge to anticipate, plan for and treat common and potential health problems which may arise on expeditions.
Deliver leadership to teams in multi-agency, multi-cultural and/or international contexts.
Become leaders in the field of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine.
Complete a written project dedicated to an area of personal interest in this specialist area.

Entry Requirements

Since our courses are conducted entirely online, they are accessible to both UK and international registered healthcare professionals.

Applicants will typically hold a first degree or equivalent (including international qualifications) in a relevant professional healthcare field, such as a medical or nursing degree.

Registered healthcare professionals without these recognised qualifications will be considered on an individual basis and a wide range of prior experience may be taken into account. In some cases, applicants may be asked to submit a piece of work for assessment in order to confirm that they are able to work comfortably at postgraduate level, and demonstrate the requisite clinical and professional knowledge.

Documents Required

A copy of your updated CV including your address and date of birth.
A copy of your undergraduate degree certificate.
The name and email address of someone who is able to provide a reference, this can be a work colleague, employer or former tutor.
A detailed personal statement explaining why you would like to undertake the course.
A copy of your proof of English competency (see below).
English Language Requirements Proficiency in the English language is also essential to completing our courses. If English is NOT your first language, we ask for proof of competency during the application process. We are able to accept an IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.

If you do not meet these requirements, please don’t worry. The University of South Wales run a number of English Language Programmes at the Centre for International English to prepare you for your academic studies. You can also contact our admissions team on admissions@diploma-msc.com for more information on the qualifications we accept.

Should you have already successfully completed the 1 year Postgraduate Diploma and wish to convert to the MSc and complete only the second year of the programme this is possible. Please contact our admissions department admissions@diploma-msc.com to find out more.

Who is this course for?

Applicants will typically be registered healthcare professionals with some experience or interest in the area of expedition and wilderness medicine who wish to enhance their knowledge, skills and understanding in order to fulfil the role of an expedition medic or otherwise specialise in extreme medicine. These include:

GPs
Allied Health Professionals
Nurses
Military Medics
Paramedics
Medics