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In-Person Course

Traversing Wilderness PT

A group of people practicing first aid on a person lying on the ground in a forest setting. One person is holding the patient's head, while another is kneeling beside them. Wilderness PT education.

About the Course

Traversing Wilderness Physical Therapy is a 2.0 CEU-approved course perfect for physical therapists looking to explore the rapidly growing field of Wilderness Physical Therapy. Using scenario-based teaching approaches onsite in the backcountry, this course will assist participants with problem-solving strategies and innovative treatment approaches for people who become injured or ill in backcountry environments. Traversing Wilderness PT counts towards partial completion of the WPTE Wilderness PT First Responder Certification.

Prerequisite: Participants are required to complete our online course ‘Intro to Wilderness PT’ prior to taking this in-person training and be CPR/AED certified.

  • Date and Time: 2pm March 20 through 1pm March 22, 2026

    Location: Sesquicentennial State Park
    Columbia, South Carolina
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    Save the Date: Our next offering of Traversing Wilderness PT will be September 25-27, 2026 in Pocatello, Idaho.

  • This 20-hour course is $675. The course fee includes 2.0 CEUs, course materials, park access, and a campsite.

    Please note: Intro to Wilderness PT (5-hour, online CEU course) is a prerequisite.

  • Onsite camping is available to all course participants for no additional cost. Just bring your gear!

    If you would prefer to stay in a hotel, there are numerous options within driving distance.

Learning Objectives

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    Identify the medical-legal and safety concerns relating to prehospital patient care in austere and wilderness environments.

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    Use core knowledge and skills as a physical therapist to apply sound clinical rationale to wilderness emergency responses and, when necessary, assume leadership of wilderness medical scenes.

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    Perform primary and secondary assessments during scenarios that are based on real backcountry emergencies.

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    Demonstrate approved techniques for backcountry management of traumatic and medical conditions. 

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    Understand and articulate the decision-making process for evacuation status, including speed of ground and air evacuations for people who have medical problems or injuries in the backcountry.

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    Improve patient functional mobility in the austere environment by improvising unweighting and providing appropriate assistance and transport in rugged uneven terrain.

Course Brochure & Pack List

Testimonials

  • “I really liked being in the wilderness and not being in a classroom. Having the terrain, weather, real-life scenarios, and having to think on my feet made this course impactful."

  • "Absolutely one of the best courses I’ve ever taken! As a former first responder, I enjoyed learning from this team."

  • "I think that having the muscle memory of these real life scenarios will benefit me when a similar situation happens in real life. This was an awesome course."

  • "There were some things that were intuitive for me and a large number of things that weren’t. I learned so many important lessons."

  • "The instructors made this course engaging. They spoke to us in a language of real-life experience and that went a long way."

  • "This is exactly the course I needed. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in wilderness first aid."

Traversing Wilderness Physical Therapy

Traversing Wilderness PT (Columbia, SC)
$675.00

Explore the Action

Hear from participants about our outdoor course, Traversing Wilderness Physical Therapy. If you have any questions please email info@wildernesspted.com or visit our FAQ page.

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Meet the Instructors

The Wilderness Physical Therapy Educators are professional educators and PT clinicians who have extensive experience in austere patient care as PTs and Wilderness EMTs. The WPT Educators stem from roles as backcountry rangers within the US National Park Service, medical providers in combat zones, and active members in search and rescue missions.