What is the Wilderness Physical Therapist First Responder Certification and how do I get certified?

The Wilderness Physical Therapist First Responder Certification (WPT-FR) is a prestigious certification denoting individuals trained to provide first response in emergency situations in backcountry environments. This certification is awarded to individuals who successfully complete the master class by completing: the two online components “Intro to Wilderness PT” and “Environmental Factors in the Wilderness”, the 29-hour in person instruction in Joshua Tree, and pass a cumulative exam. This certification is valid for three years from completion.

What is the difference between WFR and WPT-FR?

A key difference between WPT-FR and WFR is that our curriculum is designed by Wilderness PTs specifically for PTs. 

The Wilderness Physical Therapist-First Responder is a post professional PT CEU curriculum. While integrating WMS emergency treatment guidelines, the program harnesses the unique skills PTs bring to wilderness medicine. This includes differential diagnosis, non-pharmacological and non-invasive treatments, and essential interpersonal skills for high-stress environments. The program then builds upon this foundational knowledge.

Can students register for the course and receive a WPT-FR?

At this time students are not eligible to take the Master Class. If you are a student and interested in wilderness physical therapy, we’d love to hear from you. Please reach out to hello@wildernesspted.com. From there, we can guide you through the online curriculum components and, upon graduation, attend an in-person Traversing Wilderness PT course to earn your WPT-FR. 

Must I attend CSM to register for this course?

No. You do not need to attend (or pay for) CSM to attend this course. The APTA fee for this course is not linked to the CSM course fee.

What is the cancellation policy for the Wilderness Physical Therapy Master Class?

Wilderness Physical Therapy Educators offers a 50% refund offered to those who cancel their enrollment in the Master Class before January 12, 2026. Those who cancel will retain online access to online modules 1 and 2 (‘Intro to Wilderness PT’ and ‘Environmental Factors in the Wilderness’) and may choose to complete those online components for CEUs. The APTA registration fee is nonrefundable.

How do I access the online components of the Master Class?

The online components of this course will be accessible to all registered participants after they pay the WPTE and APTA course fees. We host our online courses through Idaho State University and will email you login instructions to access the ISU Moodle portal.

How does registration and payment work?

This course is offered in partnership with the APTA as an immersive course prior to CSM. All registrants of the Master Class must pay the Wilderness Physical Therapy Educators course fee of $1,285 and pay APTA’s registration fee. The registration fee through APTA varies depending on if the registrant is an APTA member and when the registrant pays (for instance, during the early bird offering or not). All participants of the Master Class must make both payments before being officially enrolled. Please note, you are not required to attend to CSM to go to this course.

Additional Questions?

We are happy to answer any questions you may have via email or through a phone call. Please email hello@wildernesspted.com to get in touch.