Spring Newsletter
Semester 2, Edition 3, 2024
What have we been up to?
The last couple of months have been action-packed! Let us fill you in on all the news...
The Training Course weekly talks have continued with an incredible variety of topics including highlights such as:
-Psychological Response to Injury & Crisis, Pain Management in the Wilderness Setting
-Overview of Search & Rescue, Wilderness Toxicology & Envenomation by Reptiles
-Mass Casualty Situations, Overview of Disaster & Humanitarian Assistance, National & International Relief Organisations
-Medicine at sea: Survival, Ocean Paddling Related Injuries, Health Maintenance, Sea Sickness
-Injuries from Climbing, Management of Wrist & Hand Injuries, Fractures and Dislocations, purpose ropes & notes
In addition, on the 9-10th March we held the famous training course weekend away in Frinton-on-sea
The programme included water purification workshops, improvised splints, lifts and carries, cave rescue moulages, talks on climbing injuries, shelter building and trauma and orthopaedics in the wild and more! The group also enjoyed campfire games and the iconic triple bunks. With thanks to KCLWMS alumni Tom Georgie, Jake Warrington and Jonathan Shulz for helping out <3. Shoutout to @__softprawn__ catering Presidents Daisy and Will :)
MORE EVENTS:
Everyone really got into the Axe Throwing event on 9th Feb, watch out, there are some naturals among us
The Banff Film Festival was a hit! Held on March 15th, with 6 short films shown about extreme mountain sports
To finish off, we also had two more Climbing socials at The Arch Bermondsey.
In celebration of international Women's Month, we hosted a 'Women in Wilderness medicine' workshop. Students heard from Dr Rebecca Salmon on the realities of life as an expedition doctor, Dr Rebecca Boys on being a medic with the British antarctic survey and took part in a workshop on woman's health in the wild and engaged in an interesting discussion about the challenges and joys of being a woman in wilderness medicine.
COMING UP:
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11th April 6pm King's Arm's Function room: KCLWMS annual AGM. Come on down for an evening of WMS diplomacy and debauchery! Everyone welcome!
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13th April, 9-5pm, Guy's Campus : Annual Wilderness Medicine Conference - Theme: UNDER PRESSURE...Including talks on Humanitarian Medicine, Dive Medicine, Heart related illness & extreme physiology. As well as, Practical Skills Workshops and Mass Casualty Simulated Moulage
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21st-23rd April : KCL WMS debut at the Wild Trials weekend held by Glasgow Wilderness & Extreme Medicine Society in Cumbria. With 'Around the World in 12 Scenarious' as the theme and teams competing from university WEMS societies around the UK it should make for a very exciting weekend!
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26-28th April Surf trip to Newquay! : A full weekend of surf and fun in Cornwall. Still a couple of spaces available but not for long! Sign up form: here
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June 19-21st : Summer Expedition to.....SLOVENIA! This summer our expedition involves hiking the Alpe-Adria trail staying in mountain huts with swimming stops along the way. Option to stay in Bovec after for some kayaking, white water rafting and other adventure activities. There are still spaces available: Sign up here before you miss your chance!
**MERCH UPDATE**
A big thank you to those who purchased this year's stash!
We're excited to see you sporting KCL WMS round campus ;)
CONGRATULATIONS to PRIYANKA ASODARIA, queen of the 2023-24 training course and incoming 2024-25 President!
KCLSU ELECTIONS
We are recruiting 2024-25 committee members!
The following positions still need to be filled
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Treasurer (x1)
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Events Officers (x2 positions)
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Expedition officer (x1-2 positions)
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Secretary (x1)
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Training Course Officers (3/more positions)
If you are thinking of running don't hesitate to speak to any of our current committee members for advice on what each role entails.
More details to self-nominate can be found here
WATCH THIS SPACE for updates on event tickets, elections, upcoming socials..and more!
Link to Whatsapp chat: here
Link to Instagram: here
Lots of Wilderness Med love <3
Winter-Spring Newsletter
Semester 2, Edition 2, 2024
To start off 2024 we had our Wilderness Med Training Course Moulage Day! Involving two mass casualty simulations with the help of of current and past kclwms members, it was a great success. A huge thank you to our volunteers who dressed up and screamed out on demand - you created perfect chaos. Thank you also to our assessors - especially kclwms cherished alumni Dr Connie Osborne - we could not have done it without you.
In the cave rescue scenario, students were tasked with triaging pelvic fracture, hypothermia and basal skull fracture patients, whilst also dealing the most distressing patient - a category five stubbed toe. In the earthquake scenario, we dealt with unstable tectonic plates, unstable c-spines and unstable relationships - luckily we had a stable set of students to save the day. All in all it was a super fun day for training course students to hone their A-E assessments and put their wilderness med skills into practice. Check out the photos below to get more of an idea of what went on**.
On Monday 22nd of January, we had a chilled out movie night where we screened a wilderness classic 'Into The Wild'. Snacks and good times were provided.
**GORE WARNING!!
View Gallery
Coming Up:
Expedition Reveal Info Evening
Thursday 25th Jan
Come along to Hodgkin Room 8 at 6pm to find out everything you need to know about our expedition this year including its secret location and how to sign up. The trip is first come first served
Rock Climbing Socials
Monday 29th Jan
Monday 26th Feb
More climbing socials on the cards at The Arch, Drummond Road. Monday is student night, £5 session + £3.50 for shoe rental. Don't forget your student ID!
Axe throwing Activity
Monday 12th Feb
Get ready to weild an axe and shoot your best shot at our new social event. More than half the tickets sold already! Find the link in our whatsapp group chat or our insta page
Where: The O2. When: 17:45
Keep an eye on our activities calendar...
Wilderness med love xxx
Autumn Newsletter
Semester 1, Edition 1, 2023
Read our regular newsletter to find out what events are coming up and how you can get involved with Wilderness Med!
What's on
Hopefully we saw you at the freshers fair this week. Here is a run down of what's to come soon! On Tuesday 26th September we have the annual Scavenger Hunt around Guy's Campus followed by the Training Course information evening on Thursday 28th. This is a great way to meet our members and find out what the Training Course involves and how to apply. We also have the Surf Trip to Newquay coming up on the weekend of 24-26th November. Don't miss out on a fun and social weekend in Cornwall!
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Scavenger Hunt: 26th September starting in The Shed, Guys campus at 6pm
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Training Course Information Session: 28th September, NHH room G.12, 6-8pm
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Newquay Surf Trip: 24-26th November. Register your interest!
Wilderness Expedition to Norway 2023
June 2023 marked the return of KCL Wilderness Medicine Society's Annual Expedition. Last year our three expedition officers (Lucy Barnard, Lucy Smyth and Aqeel Mohamed) organised an incredible three day trip to the Fjords up in Northern Norway for 24 of our members! It involved two days of hiking across beautiful scenery, canoeing down scenic valleys and plenty of swims in the ice-cold water. Keep your eyes peeled for this year's trip which promises to be just as good (if not better)!