Utah Doctor Offers Classes To Keep Outdoor Enthusiasts Safe

With COVID-19 pushing more people into the outdoors, there has been a corresponding increase in easily preventable injuries in the backcountry coming to the E.R. and a University of Utah doctor decided to take action.

FOX13 reports Dr. Natalie Bonthius started created Wild Med University to educate people how to survive in the mountains. The course covers everything from dealing with injuries on the mountain to escaping flash floods or encountering wild animals. Dr. Bonthius is hoping to help keep people safe while exploring all Utah has to offer.

“Everything from minor cuts and scrapes on the trail, from falling off your bike, to so much more serious things, like drownings, avalanche burials, and people getting lost and calling search and rescue teams to come find them.” –Dr. Bonthius

The three-hour online class is $45 and students can take the class at their own pace. Classes will go throughout the year. Very cool, THANKS DOC! For more information please visit survivalmedonline.org

I’m a doctor working over in Salt Lake City. We created Survival Med to educate the public on first aid and survival skills, since we were seeing a huge increase in easily preventable injuries coming to the E.R., especially from hikers and travelers. I posted about the new course a few weeks ago, but so many people signed up that we had to close registration. I just want you all to know that you can join it again!

The Basic Wilderness Survival course is for everyone, regardless of prior medical training. It includes how to stop bleeding, tourniquets, bears and mountain lions, snake bites, lightning, altitude illness, escaping a sinking car, avalanches, epi pens, legal liability, getting lost, rescue signaling, treating water, and much more. It’s entirely online and self-paced now, and as cheap as possible ($45.00) in order to reach the most people. I highly encourage anyone who spends time in the outdoors to take this! –Dr. Bonthius