Mountain medicine

Together with our partners, the International Society of Mountain Medicine (ISMM) and the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR), the UIAA  Medical Commission has established and developed a joint Diploma in Mountain Medicine.

The courses are divided up into three sections: basic course, course for trekking / expeditions and a specialty course for Mountain Emergency Medicine. The specialty course is designed for the training of emergency physicians and paramedics working in mountain rescue organisations. If your organisation or institution organise a mountain medicine course, and follow our minimum curricula, you can apply to our Approval Board the right to use the ISMM/UIAA/ICAR logos and award our Diploma.

The international syllabus covers altitude physiology and illness, expedition health, remote area trauma care, group psychology, travel medicine and also practical mountain skills. All holders have relevant skills and insight into the practical problems of delivering optimum patient care in the mountains

More than 3500 doctors, nurses and paramedics have been trained in these courses up to now. There are 23 different courses for mountain medicine throughout the world. Please visit the downloads section of this page for a list of approved institutions and diploma courses or click here.

If you are a doctor, paramedic or nurse who would like to take part in a mountain medicine course approved by the UIAA, please contact one of these institutions for details.

Participants at the UIAA Mountain medicine Diploma course in Plas y Brenin, spring 2007.