Day 1-4

Start off slowly. OK, just kidding.

Before immersing ourselves in the study of emergency medicine, we embark on an adventure that highlights Belize’s ecological and archeological treasures. Climb towering Mayan ruins and explore unexcavated sites in the jungle. Venture into ancient caverns, cross an underground river and scramble over boulders up to a sacred platform to view ancient Mayan pottery and the bones of human sacrifices. As night falls, we gather at our campsite, recounting stories from the day.

Day 5-8

The next 80 hours will change your life forever.

Energized by our adventures, we travel to the beautiful Jaguar Creek jungle preserve to take on the challenging and life changing 80-hour Wilderness First Responder course. Under the instruction of an expert leader from Wilderness Medical Associates, the United States based world leader in wilderness emergency medicine, we learn how to handle a wide range of medical issues and emergency situations that could happen anytime, anywhere, whether close to home or hours away from modern medical facilities. This is the same course Broadreach, NOLS and Outward Bound require for their trip leaders. Sharpen your skills through hands-on role playing and lifelike medical scenarios in the backcountry.

Day 9-13

Continue your training at Monkey Bay.

We continue our WFR studies surrounded by lush rainforest at the Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Learn when and where to inject epinephrine. Assess whether or not an injured person can hike out of the wilderness or if you need to make a stretcher out of improvised materials. How do you stop massive bleeding? How do you carry someone who is bigger than you are? How do you handle an allergic reaction? Our busy days are punctuated with adventure… Take a break to visit Belize’s world-renowned zoo or canoe down the pristine Sibun River.

Day 14-16

Learn all about ancient Mayan holistic healing.

We are now Wilderness First Responders! Ready to learn about a different approach to medicine? Travel to Maya Center to learn about ancient holistic healing techniques. For thousands of years Mayan healers have utilized natural botanicals and pharmaceuticals to treat physical, emotional and spiritual ailments. Explore the rainforest and learn traditional methods of using local plants to create tonics to relieve common ailments. Then spend a day in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Reserve, hiking through a lush jungle that is home to many listening for tapirs, peccaries, jaguars and howler monkeys. Tube down a lazy river, trek up the Tiger Fern Trail and play in the pools of a spectacular double waterfall.

Day 17-22

Ok, you’re ready to go public.

With a better understanding of both traditional and modern medicine, we enter another realm of community development — public health. Learn about global health trends and the specific challenges facing Belize's public health care system. Put your new skills to work when we travel to the village of San Ignacio on the Macal River. Spend time in a rural hospital or clinic and help local health volunteers and professionals. Educate the community on topics ranging from nutrition, hygiene, AIDS and malaria prevention. When we are not discussing and helping to implement different health interventions, we experience rich culture. Our experiences give us a broader understanding of the various levels of health care available and the approach to preventive medicine in this developing nation.