About this course
This immersive 6-day course is designed for healthcare professionals and those with advanced first aid training who want to develop their understanding of human factors in challenging, remote, and expedition settings.
Set in the spectacular High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, the course combines trekking at altitude, medical scenario-based training, and expert-led teaching on the psychological and behavioural aspects that affect decision-making, teamwork, and performance in remote environments. Participants will live and work in basic mountain refuges and operate at moderate to high altitude, allowing for realistic learning in conditions encountered on expeditions and wilderness deployments around the world.
The course qualifies for Masters course credits through the provider's partnership with University of Plymouth.
What's included:
• All instruction and training materials
• Accommodation in mountain refuge-style lodging
• All food during the mountain phase
• Guided mountain support and logistics
• Airport transfers in Morocco
What's not included:
• International flights to Marrakech
• Personal travel insurance and visas if required
• Personal trekking/medical kit
• Soft drinks and alcohol
• Option to stay in Marrakesh or climb Toubkal at the end of the expedition
Key features and highlights:
• Trekking and teaching in the Atlas Mountains with views of Mount Toubkal
• Medical simulations and team-based scenarios at altitude
• Overnight stays in mountain refuges – learning to work with limited resources
• Leadership and navigation exercises in remote terrain
• Expert instruction by clinicians experienced in expedition, pre-hospital, resource-poor, and military medicine
Learning outcomes:
• Understand the core principles of human factors in healthcare and how they translate to extreme environments
• Learn how altitude, cold, fatigue, and stress impact clinical judgment, team dynamics, and communication
• Practice medical scenarios in real altitude settings – including trauma, hypothermia, and altitude illness
• Explore leadership, decision-making, team cohesion, and situational awareness• Use tools such as the Johari Window, Swiss Cheese Model, and Crew Resource Management to analyse performance
