Wilderness medicine education for the physician

As more Americans venture into the wilderness, physicians will be called upon to provide care in the backcountry or austere setting. Additionally, more isolated regions of the world are becoming accessible for trekking and mountaineering. These facts imply a higher rate of injuries and medical problems within a distinct spectrum of disease that are best treated by the well-prepared and continuously educated physician. This article discusses the educational resources that are currently available for physicians to meet these needs in the United States.