M7Y Master of Healthcare in Remote and Extreme Environments

Program Overview

The Master of Healthcare in Remote and Extreme Environments (M7Y) program equips healthcare professionals with specialized knowledge and skills for providing healthcare in challenging environments. Through a blended learning format, students engage in online modules, residential courses, and experiential learning opportunities, covering topics such as expedition medicine, extreme sports medicine, and human behavior in extreme environments. Graduates are prepared for careers in remote and wilderness medicine, aerospace medicine, disaster relief, and other specialized fields.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Overview: The Master of Healthcare in Remote and Extreme Environments (M7Y) is a graduate-level program designed for healthcare professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in providing healthcare in remote and extreme environments.
The program brings together a diverse faculty of experienced health professionals with extensive experience in various extreme environments, offering a unique and immersive educational experience.
• Objectives: Upon completion of the M7Y program, graduates will be equipped with the following:
• An understanding of the challenges and opportunities in delivering healthcare in remote and extreme environments
• Specialized knowledge and skills relevant to extreme environments
• Non-medical skills essential for thriving and operating in extreme environments
• Ability to synthesize and communicate novel solutions to emergency situations in remote and extreme environments
• Critical analysis skills for evaluating and applying practice-based research to enhance healthcare in remote and extreme environments
• Program Description: The M7Y program offers a comprehensive curriculum that combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
Students will engage in online learning modules, intensive residential courses, and experiential learning opportunities. The program's flexible structure allows students to customize their learning path by selecting from a range of elective units.

Outline:

• Program Content: The M7Y program covers a wide range of topics related to healthcare in remote and extreme environments, including:
• Operational aspects of healthcare in remote and extreme environments
• Medicine in extreme environments
• Expedition medicine
• Health research methods
• Advanced clinical reasoning in out-of-hospital practice
• Practical skills for remote healthcare
• Humans in space
• Extreme sports medicine
• Medical care on offshore and inland waters
• Human behavior in extreme environments
• Course Schedule: The M7Y program is typically completed over three years, with a minimum duration of three years and a maximum duration of seven years.
The program is offered in a blended learning format, combining online modules with residential courses and experiential learning opportunities.
• Individual Modules with Descriptions:
• CAM503 Operational Aspects of Healthcare in Remote and Extreme Environments:
This module provides an introduction to healthcare in remote and extreme environments, covering topics such as characteristics of remote populations, remote medical practice, and appropriate healthcare delivery models.
• CAM619 Medicine in Extreme Environments: This module examines the practice of healthcare in a range of extreme environments, including cold, high altitude, desert, maritime, underwater, aviation, and space.
• CAM631 Expedition Medicine: This module provides intensive, hands-on training in practical skills essential for supporting expeditionary healthcare, including basic knowledge and skills in areas such as wilderness medicine, remote first aid, and environmental emergencies.
• CAM720 Health Research Methods: This module equips students with the theoretical and practical foundations of health research methods, enabling them to interpret published research and design and conduct their own research projects.
• CAA500 Advanced Clinical Reasoning in Out-of-Hospital Practice: This module focuses on developing advanced clinical reasoning skills in the context of out-of-hospital settings, covering topics such as legal and ethical responsibilities, quality and safety measures, and diagnostic reasoning.
• CAM630 Practical Skills for Remote Health Care: This module provides a framework for learning and assessment in practical skills essential for remote healthcare practice, including advanced first aid, remote patient assessment and management, and improvisation techniques.
• CAM632 Humans in Space: This module explores the challenges and adaptations necessary for human survival in space, covering topics such as physiological and psychological effects of space travel, spacecraft design, and medical emergencies in space.
• CAM634 Extreme Sports Medicine: This module examines the unique medical considerations and challenges associated with extreme sports, including training, injury prevention, engineering and safety equipment, and management of medical emergencies.
• CAM635 Medical Care on Offshore and Inland Waters: This module provides a comprehensive overview of medical care in various aquatic settings, ranging from scientific expeditions and Antarctic cruises to white-water rafting and diving.
• KHB701 Human Behaviour in Extreme Environments: This module explores the psychological and behavioral challenges faced by individuals living and working in extreme environments, covering topics such as stress, coping mechanisms, and group dynamics.

Assessment:

• Assessment Methods: The M7Y program utilizes a range of assessment methods to evaluate student learning, including:
• Written assignments
• Quizzes
• Presentations
• Practical demonstrations
• Research projects
• Assessment Criteria: Student performance is assessed based on the following criteria:
• Knowledge and understanding of the subject matter
• Analytical and critical thinking skills
• Problem-solving abilities
• Communication and presentation skills
• Practical skills and competence

Teaching:

• Teaching Methods: The M7Y program employs a variety of teaching methods to cater to diverse learning styles and preferences, including:
• Online lectures and tutorials
• Residential workshops and intensives
• Experiential learning exercises
• Group discussions and collaboration
• Independent study
• Faculty: The M7Y program is taught by a team of experienced and passionate healthcare professionals, including:
• Dr. Edi Albert, Program Director
• Dr. Chris Sargeant
• Dr. John Spence
• Dr. Tim Noakes
• Dr. Jane Wilson
• Unique Approaches: The M7Y program incorporates several unique approaches to teaching and learning:
• Blended Learning:
The program combines online modules with residential courses and experiential learning opportunities, offering flexibility and hands-on experience.
• Experiential Learning: Students participate in a variety of experiential learning activities, such as simulations, case studies, and field trips, to reinforce theoretical concepts and develop practical skills.
• Collaborative Learning: The program emphasizes collaborative learning through group discussions, workshops, and project-based assignments, fostering teamwork and communication skills.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths: Graduates of the M7Y program are well-prepared for a range of career opportunities in healthcare in remote and extreme environments, including:
• Remote and wilderness medicine
• Expedition medicine
• Aerospace medicine
• Extreme sports medicine
• Disaster relief and humanitarian aid
• Public health and policy
• Research and academia
• Opportunities: The M7Y program opens doors to specialized career opportunities in various settings, such as:
• Remote medical clinics
• Expedition support teams
• Space agencies
• Extreme sports organizations
• International aid organizations
• Government agencies
• Outcomes: Graduates of the M7Y program are highly sought after by employers due to their unique combination of knowledge, skills, and experience.
They are well-equipped to make significant contributions to the delivery of healthcare in remote and extreme environments, both domestically and internationally.