Semester

Yes. Homework is assigned each night and initially may include up to 100 pages of reading per night. At least two written exams are given each week in addition to a weekly practical exam.

Aerie classes are held both indoors and out. You will need to bring a notebook and writing utensils for classroom sessions. You will also need appropriate clothing to be outdoors for several hours at a time. This can vary significantly depending on the season, pay close attention to precourse materials sent before your class for specific clothing needs.

Our Semester programs have inherent risk. Aerie believes that students learn best when they are involved in realistic, engaging scenarios and practical sessions. As a result we simulate these environments in our classroom scenarios and head out into the field to swim, hike, snowshoe, ski, carry heavy packs and cross difficult terrain depending on the season and location. In addition, the international components of the Semester have their own unique risks, including significant distance from advanced medical care as well as potential exposure to illness during clinical rotations. The risks we face during these exercises are similar to those faced in an austere, remote environment. We encourage you to talk with our staff about risks inherent in our training programs before enrolling. Depending on course location, injuries and illnesses that occur may require prolonged evacuations and may necessitate repatriation to the United States.

Please do not register for any Aerie course, particularly our Semesters, without exploring, understanding and accepting these risks.

No refunds are given for any reason, including sickness, family emergencies, or expulsion from the program. For this reason, we strongly encourage all participants to have trip and health insurance to cover the possibility of their not completing the program. In the event that a student leaves the program early, whether voluntarily or at Aerie’s discretion, all expenses associated with their departure from the program, including airfare, travel to and from field sites to airports/ bus facilities, and health costs, are solely the student’s responsibility. If, for example, a student is injured or becomes ill and they are unable to complete some or all of the program, they will be responsible for their own food, housing and any other costs associated with their recovery.

Students must be ready for an intense, challenging experience, but there are no specific academic prerequisites. Many of our best students have had no previous medical training. Students are not required to be 18 years of age, but Aerie Management will admit younger students on a case by case basis. In addition, to test for and receive National Registry EMT certification, students must have a high school diploma/ GED and have no current felony convictions. Otherwise, we expect students to arrive with a solid work ethic, open mind and positive attitude.

The certifications and experiences the Semester offers are unique, professional-level, and rewarding, designed specifically for the highly competitive professional outdoor and medical/ nursing/ PA ambitions of our students. The following list shows where our students use their certifications, but please remember that there are no guarantees that any organization or school is going to hire or admit you based on a certification or transcript.

• Aerie Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT) certification: Aerie WEMT certifications last for two years. To recertify, WEMTs also need to recertify their urban EMT (see next bullet) and complete 8 additional hours of wilderness-specific training. For jobs, the National Park Service, US Forest Service, many guiding and outdoor organizations such as NOLS, Outward Bound and the Student Conservation Association look for Wilderness EMTs to lead their backcountry crews. Wilderness EMTs must be current urban/ state/ National Registry EMTs to keep their “wilderness” certifications.
• National Registry EMT (NREMT) certification. NREMT certifications are valid for two years. To recertify, NREMTs must complete 48 hours of continuing education, a 24 hour EMT refresher, and have six months affiliation with an agency providing EMT-level care. These requirements are listed here. This is the standard certification for working on an ambulance or in an Emergency Room as a Technician in many parts of the US. If you are looking to see what your home state requires for EMT licensure/ certification, click here. Many ambulances around the US require EMTs to be 21 years old to drive the ambulance.
• State of Montana EMT certification, offered through the Montana Board of Medical Examiners. Montana EMTs must recertify every two years, complete 48 hours of continuing education, a 24 hour EMT refresher class, and have 6 months affiliation with an agency providing EMT-level care. You do not need your Montana EMT certification if you are not planning on working in MT as an EMT. This is the certification you will need if you want to work as an EMT in the state of Montana.
• American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR certification. This certification lasts for two years and is recertified by taking a 2-8 hour refresher course. This is the highest level of CPR certification, is required for EMTs, and can be used for any job requiring CPR certification.
• Swiftwater Rescue Technician (SR-Technician) certification, offered by the Whitewater Rescue Institute. SRT certification lasts three years and is recertified by taking another course. This certification is often required for raft and/ or river guides.
• Leave No Trace certification is offered through LNT.org and is taught by Aerie instructors who are also LNT Master Trainers. It is recertified by taking another LNT course. This certification is viewed by employing agencies as a standard for outdoor leaders and educators.

The wildlands firefighting certifications are offered through Aerie, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They vary in duration of certification. For more information about Aerie’s firefighting training, visit our Wildland Fire page

No, participants do not need to be university students to enroll. However, they may need to be enrolled to receive federal financial aid and university sponsored health insurance.

All Aerie Semesters are physically challenging. You will carry 30-60 lb backpacks 6-10 miles per day during certain sections of the program. During these days, you can expect to climb 2,000-3,000 vertical feet and to live at elevations of 3,000-9,000 feet above sea level (sometimes at 15,000 feet for the Fall India section). With your team, you will carry litters and gear across uneven terrain and rivers, and will be expected to swim and climb. You will work outdoors in snow, rain and ice and will be expected to maintain a positive learning attitude regardless of the weather or activity. Great athletic, climbing or swimming experience are not necessary to successfully complete the program; however, all of these activities require physical conditioning conducive to constant movement in these environments. Please contact us if you have any concerns.

Travel to and from our international locations is the student’s responsibility. Airfare is not included in your course tuition. Additionally, students must have a valid passport with an expiration date that is at least 6 months after the program’s end date. All passport information must be accurate and consistent with the information on your other forms of identification. Students are highly encouraged to visit the CDC Yellowbook website and consult their healthcare provider before traveling abroad.

High. Aerie’s course policies outline our academic expectations; you will be given a handbook outlining our course policies once you have been accepted into the Semester. Students must receive passing grades on weekly exams to be eligible to test for the National Registry final exam; this is not an Aerie policy – it is a National Registry policy. Poor grades may result in expulsion from the program and may result in not being able to test for, or receive, your National Registry EMT certification.

Because of the heavy reading load in the National Registry EMT text, we assign 9 chapters of reading and associated online quizzes during the month preceding the start of the Semester. Students can complete this work wherever they happen to be, as long as they have internet access to submit their quiz answers.

Very little. You should plan to come to the program early or stay afterwards for personal recreational travel of more than a day.

Aerie students can receive academic credit for WFA, WFR, EMT, and WEMT courses through a partnership with the University of Montana. Please contact info@aeriemed.com for the correct registration form for your class.

No. Instructors will happily help coordinate carpools to field locations and give some ideas of easy food options near class locations. Aerie cannot officially coordinate any lodging, food, or transportation for out classes.
The Semester in Wilderness Medicine programs do provide all this support for students. Please visit the Semester page for more details about these programs.

Yes, students as young as 16 years old can attend class alone or with a parent or guardian. Students younger than 16 years old are welcome in our classes but are required to attend with a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian will need to sign a minor release form before class begins for all students under 18 years old.

At Aerie we strive to create a positive learning environment for all of our students. Regardless of the course type, you will learn from passionate and experienced instructors. We provide the support needed to help our students succeed. While in class you will take part in a variety of activities and lessons to help further your knowledge of medicine. Our courses include hands-on practice with the instructors and fellow students, carefully thought out lectures to give you the information you need for your certification, and a combination of fun and challenging activities to help you comprehend each topic. Each course can look different depending on the location and level of certification, however we work at having a consistent curriculum so that all of our students receive the appropriate training.

Aerie classes may differ slightly depending on the specific course type and needs of the host facility. Generally, class begins at 8:00am and ends at either 5:00pm or 6:00pm. You will have one hour for lunch around 12:00pm each day.

Aerie instructors are passionate about what they do and enjoy motivating and educating our students. We cover not only the medical topics needed to obtain your desired certification, but we teach leadership skills, communication techniques and group dynamics. Each instructor has a combination of medical and professional outdoor experience. Learn more about our staff here.

Some presentations will have photos or videos that depict blood and other injuries. Instructors make every effort to properly prepare students for when these images will come onto the screen. Students are not required to view any of this content. Instructors will also use fake blood and wounds for scenarios during class. The makeup can be greatly reduced for students that are uncomfortable with the presentation. Aerie emphasizes the treatment of injuries and illness and recognizes that these skills can be taught without the use of gruesome images, videos, and makeup.

At Aerie, our students go on to do a variety of different jobs or hobbies after their training, and we love helping our students prepare for their own unique futures. We prepare our students by creating custom medical scenarios, demonstrating medical events and treatments, and facilitating activities that will help our students gain confidence in patient care.

Aerie will issue electronic certification cards directly to your email address within a week of course completion. Sometimes these certifications get caught in spam folders or other filters, please reach out to info@aeriemed.com if you are missing your certification.

Aerie certifications last for two years. WFR, EMT, and WEMT certifications have specific recertification requirements that are outlined in the course materials. CPR and WFA classes are recertified by taking the course again.