WFA, WAFA, & WFR Standards Documents

Clink on a link in the table below to download a pdf copy of the current standards document. Each document contains a detailed list of the required topics and skills for that course; scroll down for a description of each course. ​For general information on interpreting and comparing the WFA, WAFA, & WFR Standards documents, please read this article.

Course Standards Links	Minimum Course Hours	Minimum In-person Hours
Wilderness First Responder	70 hours	45 hours
Wilderness Advanced First Aid	36 hours	18 hours
Wilderness First Aid	16 hours	16 hours
WFR Recertification	16 hours	16 hours

Certification Standards documents are open for public comment until January 1, 2024. 
​Please visit the Blog & Comments page for details.

Definitions
Standards documents set clear standards for wilderness medicine certifications for the outdoor industry, and include scope of practice, broad curriculum and delivery guidelines, minimum hours, and approved formats for each course type.
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Scope of Practice defines and describes the unique role, set of skills, and knowledge base for a provider, in other words, what someone with a certain level of training should know and be able to do.

Curriculum refers to the knowledge and skills students are expected to learn, which includes learning standards or learning objectives; the units and lessons taught; the assignments and projects given to students; the books, materials, videos, presentations, and case studies used in a course; and the tests, worksheets, assessments, and other methods used to evaluate student learning.

Course Descriptions
Wilderness First Aid (WFA) courses are introductory courses that focus on general concepts and basic treatment skills for people on half or full-day trips, those traveling with reliable cell or satellite phone service, and where outside assistance is typically available within a few hours. WFA graduates are often employed as trip leaders in college outdoor programs and residential camps or as guides or instructors in low-risk activities and environments.

Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) courses provide comprehensive training and basic treatment skills for people on half-, full-, or short multi-day trips, those traveling with reliable cell or satellite phone service, and where outside assistance may be delayed for numerous hours. WAFA graduates are often employed as trip leaders in college outdoor programs and residential camps or as guides or instructors in low- to moderate-risk activities and environments.

Wilderness First Responder (WFR) courses provide the ideal training for people who travel in remote locations, in challenging weather, with limited equipment, unreliable communication, and limited or no access to outside assistance. As a result, WFR graduates often care for patients for prolonged periods and may need to make independent decisions regarding the need for and urgency of evacuation and required additional resources. WFR certification is the outdoor industry's standard for guides, instructors, and other outdoor professionals.

The solid blue, green, and red squares in the graphic below represent the total hours in a given course type. The dotted squares of the same color also represent the total number of course hours, but in this case, the course has more topics and skills. As a provider adds more topics and skills to their course curriculum without increasing the total hours, the depth of the anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology taught proportionally decreases,  generally lowering a student's ability to assess and treat patients with complex problems.

Before choosing a wilderness medicine school, review school's curriculum, delivery strategies and hours to make sure their course meets the WMEC certification standards and your needs. ​

​For more information on interpreting and comparing the WFA, WAFA, & WFR Standards documents, please read this article.