IREMS offers these courses with excellent student to teacher ratios in courses that equally divide time between classroom lecture and indoor and outdoor skills practice. Much of the skills practice is scenario-based, which allows students to develop an understanding of how to successfully manage all aspects of an emergency situation in the wilderness. Scenarios are followed by critique and discussion with instructors. Several courses culminate in a nighttime field rescue exercise that allows students to perform a rescue of patient models in a wilderness setting.

Wilderness First Responder is a curriculum designed for the outdoor leader. SOLO's WFR curriculum and certification has become the industry standard training for backcountry guides, search groups, college outdoor program leaders, and many more outdoor professionals. It is an 80-hour course.

This course is offered several times a year including semester-long UVM class for credit (see SURG 195 on the UVM registar's page). Other classes are offered during times when school is not in session. See the calendars page for more information on schedules and times. Certification lasts three years. The course includes certification in the American Heart Association's BLS for the Healthcare Provider (CPR). Please see SOLO's site for a complete description of the WFR curriculum.

WFR refresher training at IREMS is open to all current WFR's whose original certification was issued by SOLO, Wilderness Medical Institute of NOLS, and Wilderness Medical Associates.

The course will refresh students' knowledge and skills at the WFR level and also bring them up-to-date on new techniques and developments in the field of wilderness medicine.

This course lasts 16 hours and is often offered with certification in the American Heart Association's BLS for the Healthcare Provider, as current AHA BLS CPR certification is necessary to maintain a valid SOLO WFR certification. There is additional information on SOLO's website.

The SOLO wilderness module is designed to introduce emergency care professionals to the field of rural and wilderness medical care. It focuses on the special conditions and circumstances of wilderness medicine and some of the techniques necessary to deliver good medical care in rural areas and the backcountry.

The course is open to medical professionals, including (but not limited to): EMT, RN, MD, and DO. The module is 40 hours in length and includes both classroom lecture time as well as outdoor skills practice and scenario-based learning and demonstrations.