Expedition and Wilderness Medicine are very excited at being able to offer an inspirational course for all those medical professionals responsible for clients or expedition team members in a diving or marine environment. The course aims to introduce participants to the skills required to manage the common medical problems that may emerge in a diving or marine environment.

The expedition medicine team will develop the skills of the participants through a combination of practical sessions and evening lectures. This is a comprehensive course, which aims to use the daylight hours on or under the water: diving, kayaking, boat handling, managing medical emergencies at sea, camp craft, night diving and more. The evening will be spent in a beach front tented camp on the edge of the sea, covering the more academic elements of the course.

The Diving and Marine Medicine Team has been working and instructing in this expedition environment for 20 years or more. They have a wealth of experience working as medical professionals and expedition leaders on diving expeditions from Antarctica to Polynesia. Despite being an eclectic mixture they are approachable, friendly and inspirational. They aim to guide you through the course ensuring that the course is both informative and enjoyable. If you have ever considered working on a diving, kayaking, or rafting expedition, or simply having the experience of your life time, this is the course for you.

Day One
Board Ari Queen at 1200 in Male
Introduction to week ahead
Dive 1
Lecture heat related illness and hydration

Day Two
Dive 2
Lecture – Fitness to dive, pre-existing conditions
Dive 3
Lecture – Barotrauma / CAGE
Lecture – Dangerous marine animals
Practical on island – Fire-lighting/water purification

Day Three
Dive 4
Lecture – Decompression sickness I
Dive 5
Practical round robin – Boat engine and handling/ man overboard/scenario
Search and rescue techniques/ underwater communications and mapping
Lecture – Near drowning/hypothermia

Day Four
Dive 6
Lecture - Decompression sickness II
Practical round robin – Boat engine and handling/ man overboard/scenario
Search and rescue techniques/ underwater communications and mapping
Dive 7 – NIGHT DIVE
Lecture – Marine envenomation/ terrestrial envenomation/ sea food toxidromes

Day Five
Dive 8
Lecture – Expedition treatment of decompression sickness/ casevac planning/ in-water compression/ pre-expedition planning/ medical kit
Dive 9
Scenario
Lecture – Case studies

Day Six
Dive 10 – Hammerhead shark dive
Lecture – tbc
Visit to Kuramathi Island to see hyperbaric chamber and medical facilities
Lecture – BAS and Madagascar

Day Seven
Return to Male for 10am