Photo Credit: Andy Burdin

Wilderness EMT

Wilderness EMT

Nationwide, EMS programs have a 65-75% first-time pass rate on the NREMT exam.
Across the last decade, NOLS students have a 90-95% first-time pass rate.

Top-level ski patrols, professional SAR teams, the Wildland Fire community, and disaster relief agencies prefer the WEMT certification.

 

Learn both wilderness medicine and urban medical care practices in this intensive, month-long program.

After four weeks of classroom education, practical skills, scenarios, and full-scale mock rescues, you’ll be ready to handle medical emergencies, in the wilderness or in town. You’ll earn both your EMT and your Wilderness EMT certifications, preparing you to work on an ambulance, for an outdoor organization, or a land management agency.

You’ll learn both in the classroom and in outdoor settings regardless of weather, so come prepared for wet, muddy, cold, or hot environments!

Course Policies
Please review our policies including cancellation policies, attendance requirements, minimum age requirements, and more.

Also see dates for our Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (EMT plus Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Professionals Format) courses.

Resources & Downloads
Additional Details

Continuing Education (Learn More)

This course has been approved for Fellowship of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM)  credits through the Wilderness Medical Society. Actual credits awarded depend on personal credit needs and history.

Academic Credit (Learn more)
This course is approved for 9 college credits through the University of Utah and 6 college credits through Western Colorado University.

Customer Service


Registration and all customer service for this course are handled by NOLS Wilderness Medicine.

Details

Jul 21, 2025 - Aug 15, 2025

Lander, United States

NOLS Wilderness Medicine

Duration

200 hours

Age

18+ yrs

Academic Credit

9 College Credits

  • 9 Credits

Certifications

  • Epinephrine Auto-injector
  • Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician
  • Emergency Medical Technician

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Deposit

Deposit required: $1000

Start/End

Varies

Fly In/Out

Varies

“I specifically chose to take my Wilderness EMT through NOLS Wilderness Medicine because of the high quality of education I received during my Wilderness First Responder with them. I firmly believe my education has helped in my profession and with my confidence in the medical field. I will be a lifelong advocate of NOLS.”

- Molly K., WEMT, Caldwell, Wildfire Crew, National Park Service

Financial aid & Scholarships

NOLS supports a variety of outside financial aid options:

  • AmeriCorps
  • 529 College Savings Plans
  • Veteran's Benefits (In Wyoming only)

If you are fluent in American Sign Language or Signed Exact English, you may be eligible to receive a full scholarship to your wilderness medicine course.

Keep Your WEMT Certification Current

A great option for recertifying the wilderness portion of your Wilderness EMT is NOLS Wilderness Medicine’s Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Professionals (WUMP) course. This is the best choice if you are also seeking to maximize Continuing Education Units.

You may also recertify the wilderness portion of your Wilderness EMT with a Wilderness First Responder RecertificationHybrid Wilderness First Responder RecertificationWilderness Advanced First Aid, or Wilderness First Aid course.

As a service to our graduates, we provide links to EMT Refresher Training Programs (RTP) offered by some long-term partners. These intensive courses are taught over 2 to 3 days, and they may be used to fulfill the requirements for taking an urban refresher course as established by the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT). Please check with the course host and your state EMS office to determine if the course will meet your state’s requirements.

Wilderness Medicine FAQ

+ Is a Wilderness EMT certification worth it?
+ What is the difference between EMT and Wilderness EMT?