The Wilderness Medic Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode I am joined by Dr Simon Latham, direct from his clinic on board one of the Mercy Ships boats which is docked in Freetown Sierra Leone.

We discuss how he has carved this unique career path and how Mercy Ships work collaboratively with local governments to provide life changing surgery and sustainable healthcare outcomes.

Find out more: www.mercyships.org.uk

In today's episode I am joined by Donna Finnis, an expedition medic with a passion for adventure and medical care provision in remote and challenging environments.

She has supported expeditions from the dizzy heights of Kilimanjaro, to the frozen northwest of Mongolia, which is what we are discussing today!

When she’s not out on expedition, Donna can be found working frontline as a paramedic, teaching medicine in remote environments, volunteering her time as a coastguard.

In Episode 8, I am joined by Dr Christy Hehir, an environmental psychologist, conservationist, polar alien hunter and lecturer within the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Surrey. 

We discuss the delicate balance between tourism, our psychology and the environment, which could not be more relevant given the climate emergency that we face currently.

Christy is one of a few polar tourism researchers with experience at both poles having travelled to Antarctica with Students on Ice and subsequently to Svalbard on an expedition by the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme).

Listen to find out more...

In this latest episode I am joined by Negussie Beyene from the charity APOPO, which trains rats and dogs to detect TB, landmines and more. We discuss some of the initiatives that APOPO have started and I learn what a Giant Pouched Rat's favourite treat is (Spoiler alert- it is not cheese!)

Around 60 countries are still contaminated with hidden landmines and other explosive remnants of war, that cause tragic accidents and hamper communities from developing their productive land. Meanwhile, slow and inaccurate detection methods make tuberculosis the world’s most deadly infectious disease. 10 million new people contract TB every year, 3 million go undiagnosed, and 1.8 million die from the disease.

APOPO show us how we can work together with animals to find novel solutions that can help address these issues...

Links:

https://www.apopo.org/

Join me as I chat to Dr Klara Weaver, who is the overwintering Doctor for Winter 2021 at Rothera Research base. She will spend a total of 18 months down south supporting field science and logistics for the British Antarctic Survey!

We discuss what her role involves, how she prepared for it and her advice on how to get involved...

Prior to her time in Antarctica, Klara is a keen mountaineer, having bagged first ascents in Kyrgyzstan and time at altitude across Europe. She has also undertaken medical expeditions to Panama, Nepal and spent time with the search and rescue teams in Iceland. In her spare time she prefers to be in the mountains, but has also recently taken up crochet…

Instagram: @drweaverexplores

In Episode 5 I chat with Kevin Grange a paramedic and firefighter, who has worked in Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks, and is now based in Wyoming. 

We discuss his role, experiences and journey as well as his awesome book "Wild Rescues" which you can purchase through the links below.

Links from this Episode

Find out more and order "Wild Rescues" from www.kevingrange.com or from Amazon

Find out more about the WEM Expo 2021 that we discussed on this episode: click here

Join me as I chat with Dr Marcus Stevens, a GP trainee in Bath, about some of his most exciting trips so far in his career. Marcus has spent time providing medical care to communities in the Simien Mountains, worked as a doctor in the gold mines of Mali with Critical Care International, and incredibly ended up as the medic at the world's highest dinner party at 7050m above sea level. Listen to find out more....

Links from this Episode:

Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service

Critical Care International

Majesty and Misery: Dinner on the North Col

Season 2 Episode 3: Mountain Rescue with Jamie Pattison

In today's episode I talk to Jamie Pattison, the deputy leader and medical officer of Northumberland Mountain Rescue Team, about his experiences and what drew him to start volunteering with mountain rescue over 10 years ago. We also discuss his work as a paramedic, the challenges that COVID has posed for mountain rescue, and reflect on the importance of psychological resilience when working in austere environments. Listen to find out more...

You can follow Jamie or get in touch via his instagram @jcxplore or twitter @jcxplore

Click here to find out more about getting involved with Mountain Rescue and here to discover World Extreme Medicine's expedition medicine courses that we both teach on.

In this latest episode I am joined by Dr Shawna Pandya, physician, astronaut-candidate and aquanaut, to talk about space medicine, the recent mars landing, the future of commercial space flight and much more...

Find out more about what Dr Pandya gets up to by following her on social media:

@shawnapandya (Instagram and Twitter) or visit shawnapandya.com

Some links from the episode:

• International Institute of Astronautical Sciences Space Medicine Group and Project PoSSUM
• International Astronautical Congress
• Aerospace Medicine Association
• Association of Spaceflight Professionals

Some Papers for those who want to know more:

• Space Medicine in the Era of Civilian Spaceflight, NEJM
• Red Risks for a Journey to the Red Planet, Nature
• An Overview of Space Medicine, British Journal of Anesthesia

Episode 1: Dive Medicine with Dr Megan Evans

Welcome to Season 2: in this first episode I am joined by Dr Megan Evans to discuss her work with the DDRC as a dive medic. We discuss common diving-related medical conditions, what you need to know as an expedition medic working on a diving trip, and the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat disease...

Here are some links to the courses discussed in the episode:

DDRC Course

RCS Edinburgh Modules

If you have enjoyed this episode- please subscribe for more content or check out the previous 10 episodes in season 1!