Resident

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RAMS Roadmaps-Junior Resident

 

As a resident, be sure to rotate in locations of resource poor areas, participate in electives, continue to develop outdoor interests, and engage in educational teaching and research passions. Start finding and cultivating mentors, and establish connections early on to demonstrate your interest in wilderness medicine. Mentors can help guide you to a program that will be the best fit for you. Additionally, they can help you better understand what fellowship, research, and a career in academics entails.

Additional Recommendations

  • Credentialing in other wilderness medicine educational programs is not necessary but it can be useful for applicants with limited exposure to wilderness medicine.
  • Continue to foster outdoor interests and hobbies, work/volunteer in austere environments, or anything else that shows interest and commitment to wilderness medicine. Programs want to know why wilderness medicine and what experiences/service opportunities you have had in the field.
  • Explore the field and grasp what it is. Remember - you can do ski patrol without the fellowship, this is intended to be an academic and leadership development program. Show what you want to get out of your fellowship. Programs want to fell that you can add to the experience.
  • Each program is different in what they emphasize for research and training, so get to know the different programs before applying.
  • Be involved in the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) at some point early on to show your interest.
  • Do a rotation at an institution that has a fellowship you are interested in.
  • Reach out to programs, faculty, and active participants in wilderness medicine early in residency to show interest.
  • Attend conferences such as SAEM, the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA), or WMS. Go to the meetings, participate, and gain insight into the field. Demonstrate your understanding of academia.
  • Volunteer to review manuscripts.
  • Research projects can help a resident, but make sure that it is meaningful and something you enjoy. Research specific to wilderness medicine is not that important, but rather the experience of developing, conducting, and writing a paper is important in showing you understand the academic process.
  • Most of all, programs look for good overall people and physicians.