Wilderness First Aid Certification Course - Spring 2025

About Our Wilderness First Aid Certification Course

In response to the global pandemic, The Human Path has moved elements of our popular wilderness medicine training into an interactive remote format.

Students will receive an emergency first aid kit that contains trauma first aid gear to complete hands-on training in the ‘practical skills’ portion of the course, all done at home.

The 24-hour WFA course will also include downloadable video modules that step through wilderness medicine foundation skills for remote and post-disaster response. Each section will have progress quizzes and a hands-on skills exercise and assessment.

At the end of the course, there will be a final live skills review and test. Students can choose from scheduled times to show mastery of wilderness first aid skills in a live session with an instructor before taking the final certification exam online. Certification will be issued to students who show competency in those skills and pass the training exam with 80% or higher. Certification is issued through Emergency Care & Safety Institute (ECSI), and lasts 2 years from the date of successful passing of the course.

Wilderness first aid certification is provided by ECSI, which is created, endorsed and underwritten by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

A national ECSI certification card is issued to qualified students and is valid for 2 years.

Books included: Wilderness First Aid Textbook (eBook, issued with certification)

Materials included: Basic first aid kit to complete the bandaging and splinting exercises are shipped to students

The WFA consists of approximately 24 hours of lectures, demonstrations, live Q & A, homework and testing.

Primary topics that are covered in the WFA include:

• Understanding Wilderness First Aid Legal boundaries and guidelines
• Medical Terminology and Concepts
• Scene Safety and Evaluation
• Patient Consciousness
• Primary Survey – Understanding Airway, Breathing and Circulation Management
• Protecting the Cervical Spine and C-Collar Concepts in WFA
• Introduction to Shock
• Basic Wound Management in the Field
• Vital Signs, Pulse Locations and CSM checks
• Patient Positioning and moving
• Secondary Survey Introduction – Head, Neck, Thorax, Abdomen, Back, Extremities
• Bandaging, Splinting and Taping I
• Environmental Injuries I

Students will need:

A web-cam to record proficiency of each skill

A computer with internet connection to watch videos and take assessment quizzes

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Additional Options (add ons/can be taken separately):

Re-Certification Course. Our WFA certification lasts 2 years from the date of successful completion of the course. To maintain the certification, students must re-certify before that time expires.The Re-Certification course can be done remotely, showing competency and skills review to get a renewal card from ECSI andThe Human Path School.

Using plant medicine in the field is our trademark and our specialty. Add an additional 8 hours of training to your certification by learning about and showing proficiency using herbs in the field. Learn the essentials of first aid care while also introducing fundamental plant-medicine concepts that apply to austere or post-disaster environments.

**This module will include a small ‘Herbal Field Kit’ with materials students will use to demonstrate understanding of preparations in remote environments.

• Fundamental herbal care concepts
• The necessary shift in thinking
• Wound Care and Infection Management using herbs
• Injury, shock, pain and herbs
• Respiratory herbal first response
• Gastrointestinal herbal first response
• Urinary herbal first response
• Planning, preparing and administering herbs

Our Wilderness First Responder is now available as a hybrid course. This involves three phases that must be passed in order. Phase 1 can be taken by itself for students who only wish to complete a standard WFA certification. Phase 1 + Phase 2 can be taken in order for students who only wish to complete an advanced WFA certification:

Step1 remote – Standard Wilderness First Aid Certification (WFR Prerequisite)

Step 2 remote – Advanced Wilderness First Aid Certification (WFR Part 1)

Step 3 ON-SITE (in person) – Wilderness First Responder Certification (WFR Part 2)

WFA CERTIFICATION COURSE INFORMATION

Dates: Course access open on February 17th, 2025. Materials will ship out February 17th, 2025. Access to the online classroom will close on April 21st, 2025.

Registration is limited to 40 spots and is first come first serve. Registration closes on March 3rd, 2025.

Skills Testing Date Options (central time zone):

TBA

**Students will be required to attend an evaluation session (working webcam required) in order to complete their certification successfully, in addition to the other passing requirements outlined in the course syllabus.

Format: This is an interactive remote learning course. Part 1 is a self-directed study of wilderness medicine topics with skills assessments and testing. Part 2 is a scheduled skills test in a live classroom (Zoom) with an instructor, followed by a final certification exam.

Please review our tuition policy

*There are no refunds or transfers once course materials ship out.

International Shipping: There are additional costs involved with shipping course materials outside of the US. If you are located outside of the US, so we can help you with shipping arrangements. We offer shipping within Canada and Mexico only. (APO and AE addresses are not eligible.) International students are responsible for the expense of shipping their own course materials. If you are not eligible for international shipping services, please contact us for assistance with a materials list to source your materials locally.

TUITION INFORMATION

Early Bird Discount: $210 until January 6th, 2025 for WFA only. (processing fees apply)

Early Bird Check, Venmo, Money Order, E-invoice Discount: $210 for WFA only. (No processing fees)

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Early Bird WFA + Herbal First Aid Module: $285 when purchased together as a bundle. Available until January 6th, 2025 only. (processing fees apply)

Early Bird Check, Venmo, Money Order, E-invoice Discount: $285 for bundle. (No processing fees)

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Regular Tuition: $235 for WFA only. (processing fees apply)

Check, Venmo, Money Order, E-Invoicing Discount: $235 for WFA only.(No processing fees)

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WFA + Herbal First Aid Module: $335 when purchased together as a bundle. (processing fees apply)

Check, Venmo, Money Order, E-Invoicing Discount: $335 for the bundle. (No processing fees)

Tuition includes 60 days access to the online classroom and materials shipped within the US.

For information about paying with check, Venmo, money order, or E-invoice, send us an email here:

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Human Path School & Herbal Medics Academy, 9 Calle Vison, Taos, United States