For Wilderness Paramedics
The WP-C Examination
The Certified Wilderness Paramedic (WP-C) Examination consists of 135 questions and 110 scored and 25 unscored items. The candidate is provided 2.5 hours to complete the examination. The certification process is focused on the knowledge level of accomplished, paramedics working in wilderness, remote, and austere environments anywhere in the world. The questions on the examination are based in sound wilderness medicine principles. The candidate is expected to have a firm understanding of the remote medicine environment.
WP-C Exam Requirements and Study Recommendations
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates must hold a current unrestricted paramedic, registered nurse, or physician assistant, license in the state or country of practice. All exam candidates must register online and upload a copy of license to prove eligible before scheduling an exam.
Study Recommendations
The exam is based on the best practices of the wilderness medicine community. The following textbooks are recommended:
WP-C Study Recommendations
- Wilderness EMS, Hawkins (Editor) ISBN-10: 9781496349453; ISBN-13: 978-1496349453
- Mountain Emergency Medicine 1st Edition, by Hermann Brugger, Ken Zafren, Luigi Festi, Peter Paal, Giacomo Strapazzon. ISBN-10: 8821447332; ISBN-13: 978-8821447334
- National Park Service Technical Rescue Handbook, Eleventh Edition. August 2014. Published by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
- Remote and Austere Medicine Field Guide for Practitioners available at the College of Remote and Offshore Medicine
- The WMS Clinical Practice Guidelines - available here
- Summaries of the Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines - available here
- Joint Trauma Registry (JTS) Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) (available through the JTS)
- Wilderness and Environmental Medicine Journal (available through the Wilderness Medical Society)
ADDITIONAL WP-C STUDY RESOURCES
- Rescue Expedition & Disaster Medicine (RED MED), Chris Gibson, Independently published (November 24, 2021)ISBN-13: 979-8609021359
- Working with the Media in Search and Rescue, Shimanski © 2008, Charley Shimanski/Mountain Rescue Association
- Search and Rescue for Outdoor Leaders, Shimanski © 2008, Charley Shimanski/Mountain Rescue Association
- On Call: A Complete Reference for Cave Rescue Publisher: National Speleological Society; n edition (October 30, 2001) ISBN-10: 1879961164, ISBN-13: 978-1879961166
- Helicopter Rescue Techniques: A Training Handbook for Rescue Practitioners, Thomas
- ISBN-10: 1976342538 ISBN-13: 978-1976342530
- NIMS ICS (available through FEMA)