Become an Instructor for NOLS Wilderness Medicine

William Woodward

NOLS Wilderness Medicine's mission is to provide the highest quality education and information for the recognition, treatment, and prevention of wilderness emergencies. Instructors teach courses including: 2-day Wilderness First Aid courses, 10-day Wilderness First Responder courses, Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Professionals courses, 30-day Wilderness EMT courses, and more.

Instructors are expected to provide outstanding, thorough lectures on medical topics and supervise hands-on skills practice for groups of 15-30 students. In addition, responsibilities include: keeping accurate paperwork, collaborating with course hosts (called sponsors), and overseeing course equipment.

Instructors’ teaching schedules may be arranged to fit with other employment. Highest consideration will be given to applicants who are available during NOLS Wilderness Medicine’s busiest teaching months, January through June.  

Courses are located in all 50 states and 40 countries around the world. Instructors are generally regionally centered near their homes, but they may be expected to teach throughout the United States and internationally.
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Instructor Training Courses

To become an instructor, interested individuals need to apply for the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor Training Course (ITC), a 7- or 10-day intensive training. ITCs prepare new instructors to deliver the NOLS Wilderness Medicine curriculum.
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Wilderness First Aid ITC

Course Dates:

March 29-April 4, 2026

Location:
Landmark Learning, Cullowhee, NC

Application Deadline:

December 1, 2025

This course is designed to train instructors with WFR certifications to instruct NOLS’ 2-day Wilderness First Aid programs.

Additional Requirements:

  • Current WFR certification or recertification within the past two years (includes WFR certifications issued through a Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Professionals (WUMP) course). Does not need to be WFR certification with NOLS
  • Professional Level CPR Certification (BLS)
WFA ITC Application

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Wilderness First Responder ITC

Course Dates:

Fall 2025 ITC - November 2-11, 2025

Spring 2026 ITC - March 29-April 7, 2026

Location:

Fall 2025 ITC - Lander, WY

Spring 2026 ITC - Landmark Learning, Cullowhee, NC

Fall Application Deadline:

Fall 2025 ITC - May 16, 2025

Spring 2026 ITC - December 1, 2025

This course is designed to train instructors with Wilderness EMTs and other advanced medical training (RN, PA, MD, etc.) to instruct NOLS Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness EMT programs, as well as other types of courses.

Additional Requirements:

  • Current WEMT or advanced medical training (MD, RN, NP, PA or similar) with a current WFR
  • Professional Level CPR Certification (BLS)

WFR ITC Application