UPDATE to WFR Pre-Requisite requirement for AMGA Mountain Guide Programs
The AMGA Medical Advisor, Technical Director, Executive Director and Guide Program Manager have changed the language and hour requirement associated with the WFR pre-requisite for AMGA Mountain Guide Programs. The 80-hour course requirement has been removed and the new language will read as follows:
- Current CPR Certification
- Current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Certification or higher that meets the Minimum Guidelines and Scope of Practice for a WFR
Please read the below note from Alan Oram, D.O. Medical Advisor, as to why the language has changed:
After reviewing the organizations that provide Wilderness First Responder (WFR) courses and re-certifications, the AMGA medical advisor in addition to the management of the AMGA have changed the requirements for WFR training for AMGA programs. As long as the organization that offers the WFR training meets the scope of practice of WFR training, successful completion of that course or recertification will be acceptable for entry into AMGA programs. This decision was made after identifying that course length was not uniform in the WFR training courses and that requiring an 80-hour course was not what the AMGA needed to do. Rather, course length was less important than content and that many organizations provide acceptable training with fewer hours. As well, if applicants have other medical training that covers wilderness and mountain medicine, that training may be acceptable and will be evaluated on a case by case basis by the medical advisor as an alternative to WFR for the purposes of the AMGA training programs.
We hope to be able to offer a WFR re-certification course for the fall annual meeting so stay tuned for the details. The idea is to be able to have portions of this available on-line before the course to limit actual time spent in the classroom and provide a more reasonable alternative for working guides.
