The International Master Course
in Mountain Emergency Medicine
The International Master Course in Mountain Emergency Medicine born from a joint project of the University of Insubria and the University of Milan-Bicocca in agreement with EURAC-Bolzano and with the collaboration of the most important universities, and private/public health organizations, active in the field of mountain and emergency medicine.
This course is certified by the International Mountain Medicine Societies (UIAA Medcom, CISA – Ikar and ISMM – International Society Mountain Medicine) for the theoretical-practical didactic characteristics, acquired in the two-years educational path. It is guarantees a complete preparation to face health emergency situations during mountaineering practice, or in catastrophic events in every part of the world.
The Master born as a University of Insubria project, shared with the Italian Auxological Institute (IRCCS) and the University of Milan-Bicocca, which will perform complete academic educational path with excellent professionalism, and will guarantee a widespread media diffusion in the national and international university and intra-extra hospital field.
Collaborations with AREU Lombardy-Teaching Center, and with the University of New Mexico and Denali Park in Alaska, represent a prestigious worldwide acknowledgment of the course.
The aim of the Master is to train extra-hospital emergency-urgency doctors and paramedics who will be acquiring the highest level of theoretical and practical knowledge in mountain emergency medicine, guaranteed by the professionalism and competence of international teachers. The students know how to move and how to operate at best in difficult conditions, not only in the impervious and mountainous environment but also in situations of danger derived from extreme sports practice. Moreover, with the frequent catastrophic environmental events happened in the last years, events that will most likely happen again in the future, a professionally dedicated rescue team, able to operate in stressful condition and in unusual contexts, considering also the possible involvement of numerous victims, is needed.
The Master is addressed to doctors and paramedics already active in the field of intra-extra hospital emergency-urgency, in good physical condition.
They will reach a very high specialization in the conventional terrestrial rescue and in helicopter rescue, able to guarantee the best treatment of traumatized patients, in extreme mountains conditions.
Dr. Luigi Festi
The International Master Course
in Mountain Emergency Medicine
The International Master Course in Mountain Emergency Medicine born from a joint project of the University of Insubria and the University of Milan-Bicocca in agreement with EURAC-Bolzano and with the collaboration of the most important universities, and private/public health organizations, active in the field of mountain and emergency medicine.
This course is certified by the International Mountain Medicine Societies (UIAA Medcom, CISA – Ikar and ISMM – International Society Mountain Medicine) for the theoretical-practical didactic characteristics, acquired in the two-years educational path. It is guarantees a complete preparation to face health emergency situations during mountaineering practice, or in catastrophic events in every part of the world.
The Master born as a University of Insubria project, shared with the Italian Auxological Institute (IRCCS) and the University of Milan-Bicocca, which will perform complete academic educational path with excellent professionalism, and will guarantee a widespread media diffusion in the national and international university and intra-extra hospital field.
Collaborations with AREU Lombardy-Teaching Center, and with the University of New Mexico and Denali Park in Alaska, represent a prestigious worldwide acknowledgment of the course.
The aim of the Master is to train extra-hospital emergency-urgency doctors and paramedics who will be acquiring the highest level of theoretical and practical knowledge in mountain emergency medicine, guaranteed by the professionalism and competence of international teachers. The students know how to move and how to operate at best in difficult conditions, not only in the impervious and mountainous environment but also in situations of danger derived from extreme sports practice. Moreover, with the frequent catastrophic environmental events happened in the last years, events that will most likely happen again in the future, a professionally dedicated rescue team, able to operate in stressful condition and in unusual contexts, considering also the possible involvement of numerous victims, is needed.
The Master is addressed to doctors and paramedics already active in the field of intra-extra hospital emergency-urgency, in good physical condition.
They will reach a very high specialization in the conventional terrestrial rescue and in helicopter rescue, able to guarantee the best treatment of traumatized patients, in extreme mountains conditions.
Dr. Luigi Festi
CALENDAR LESSONS
some dates will be decided by May 2022
In a few days will be released the Master’s Application Notice on the University of Insubria website.
Thi is the Master’s 2022-2023 draft program with the dates and locations of the lessons.
2022
EURAC -Bolzano
Seminar 3, NOI Techpark, main building (A1), Via A. Volta 13/A, Bolzano
9.00 – 9.45 Physiological requirements for mountain rescue activities
Gatterer H.
9.45 – 10.30 Effects of acute exposure to altitude in HEMS crew – implication for SAR operations
Falla M./van Veelen M.
10.30 – 11.00 Break
11.00 – 12.30 Epidemiology and pathophysiology of hypothermia
On site diagnosis and treatment of hypothermia
Brugger H.
12.30 – 14.00 Lunch break
14.00 – 15.30 Epidemiology and pathophysiology of avalanche accidents
On site diagnosis and treatment of avalanche accidents
Strapazzon G.
15.30 – 16.00 Break
16.00 – 17:30 The limits of Human Hypoxia: into the death zone on Everest
Hackett P.
terraXcube/1st floor, NOI Techpark, D1 building, Via Ipazia 2, Bolzano
09.00 – 10.30 Multiple trauma management in mountain rescue
Sumann G.
10.30 – 11.00 Break
11.00 – 11.30 Inauguration ceremony
11.45 – 12.30 Medical challenges in hoist and longline operations in mountain HEMS
Rauch S.
12.30 – 14.00 Lunch break
14.00 – 14.45 Pre-acclimatization in real and simulated altitude – focus on published data
Faulhaber M.
14.45 – 16.15 Risk-management and limits in MR: risks for rescuers and patients: impact of organization and human factors. personal experience and case reports
Elsensohn F.
Alagna Valsesia
Capanna Margherita:
Alpinism Base Skills, Movement on Glaciers, Climbing Base Skills
Zermatt
Val Leventina: Air Zermatt Course:
Summer part
Milano
Waiting Milano – Cortina 2026
Olympic Winter Games, Mountain
Emergency Medicine Congress
Milano
Bicocca University: Lessons
2023
Grenoble University, Alpe D’Huez – Courmayeur
Fondazione Montagna Sicura:
Lessons and Ice Climbing Base Skills
Bad Toelz-Zermatt:
HEMS similation and Air Zermatt Winter part
Anchorage – Denali Camp Base
Valais GRIMM:
Training part
Albuquerque – Grand Canyon – Uni.New Mexico:
Lessons and Training part
Varese/Milano
Diploma session
*Dates to be decided
September 2023 (facultative and to be confirmed) Master Peak in Caucaso (Cost about € 4000 each)
MODULES OF THE MASTER PROGRAM
Notice: modules 4 and 7 are dedicated to MMEM
Module 1
Basis, Diagnosis,
Treatment of Altitude Sickness
Altitude Sickness
Children and the mountain
High altitude training
The medical practice of mountain
The elderly and the mountain
Cardiopathic patients and mountaineering
Pulmonary failure and mountaineering
Neurological disease and the mountain
The woman and the mountain
Module 3
Trauma in Mountaineering:
Diagnosis and Treatment
Analgesia on the field
Abdominal traumatology
Thoracic traumatology
Orthopedic trauma
Basic radiology
Interventional radiology
Vascular trauma
Neurosurgical trauma
Maxillofacial trauma in mountaineering
Emergencies odonto-stomatology
Tracheostomy
Shock
Sepsis: diagnosis and treatment
Module 4
Emergency Rescue in Mountaineering
Avalanche
Electrocution, lightning
Mountain rescue techniques
Helicopter rescue techniques
Notions on personal equipment
Stress management in mountaineering
Organized rescue on the mountain
The intensive care unit and apine trauma
Alpine trauma and rescue service
Helicopter Rescue Team (℅ Air Zermatt, REGA)
Module 5
The Doctor and the Mountain
Decompress sickness
Survival and navigation techniques
Nutrition in mountaineering
Travel medicine
The doctor on expedition
Medical legal aspects in mountaineering
Juridical aspects
International mountaineering organization
Medical communication
Geological characteristics and rescue techniques
- Clinical governance and risk management
Meteorology and mountain
Doping in mountaineering
Historical and cultural aspects of mountaineering
Module 7
Emergency medicine Winter Program
Basics on survival techniques, protection of the patient against further harm, self protection, bivouac…
Glacier travel, belaying in ice and snow, ice climbing, crevasse accident, improvised crevasse rescue
Organized crevasse rescue, tri- and bipod, crevasse container, ice hammer
Comrade aid and organized rescue in avalanche accidents, transceiver search, helicopter search, Recco, shoveling probing, ABS-Pack and other systems against burial, medical aspects of avalanche accidents, prognosis in avalanche victims
Working with the helicopter in winter conditions
Management of a mountain casualties, during winter season. In cold and snow conditions.
Grenoble
Grenoble
Technical and medical skills to acquire:
Basic ice climbing skills,
How to deal with evolution on winter environment (snow and ice),
How to use technical rescue devices dedicated for winter rescue
– Mountain rescue simulations based on real cases,
Theoretical Knowledge on avalanche, hypothermia, frostbites.
How to deal with a polytrauma in winter
Medical management of an avalanche victim, an hypothermia victim
Patient orientation: trauma system, trauma network
Module 7
Emergency medicine Summer Program
Patient bag, vacuum mattress, stretcher, horizontal net
Training on improvised rescue techniques
Rescue on via ferrata
Suspension trauma, rescue in lights sports
Basics of caving and cave rescue
Basics of canyoneering and canyoneering rescue
General medical circumstancies in canyoneering, … injury treatment in canyoneering
Working with helicopters … hovering … introduction to HEC (human external cargo), … procedures on longline, load transfer system
Descend into Grand Canyon to Bright Angel lodge. Medical rescue scenarios, overview of point of care testing, iSTAT fluid replacement, field blood products, tranexamic acid
Summer mountaineering techniques. Terrestrial rope rescue
Denali Park – Alaska
Denali Park – Alaska
1 Kahiltna
Utilize the Kahiltna Base camp area. Likely setting up camp a bit up glacier from the main camp.
Demonstrate / instruct the points of camp set up on a glacier (crevasse probing, safe tent sites, hygiene, cooking, etc)
incorporate day trips up glacier – this will necessitate prior exposure to roped travel
incorporate lectures / education sessions pertinent to the area, including a review of altitude, frostbite, trauma care, evacuation standards, long term care (hygiene, nutrition)