MScExtreme Medicine (Distance)

Source: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/courses/medicine/extrememedicinemsc/ Parent: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/courses/

MSc Extreme Medicine (Distance)

MSc Extreme Medicine (Distance)

PG Dip Extreme Medicine (Part time) (Distance)

PG Cert Extreme Medicine (Part time) (Distance)

Why study MSc Extreme Medicine (Distance) at Exeter?

• This unique programme is delivered in partnership between the University of Exeter Medical School and World Extreme Medicine (WEM), the world's leading provider of specialist training courses for medics taking their skills into challenging environments.
• Extreme Medicine MSc is a distance-learning programme, delivered through attendance at 6 residentials in the UK or overseas. You will develop medical and expedition skills through direct participation in a range of environment specific courses - the wilderness will be your classroom.
• You will have unparallelled options to develop your skills in wilderness medicine, with residential courses taught across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
• Engage critically with the principles and practices of delivering medical care across diverse geographical contexts and interdisciplinary settings, with a focus on remote and challenging environments.
• Ideal for intercalating medical students from UK and abroad- the unique distance learning model means you can live and work at home alongside studying
• This course also offers the option to specialise in Humanitarian Relief medicine, for students choosing the humanitarian module in phase 2 and completing an appropriate dissertation.
• This course is not just for doctors and medical students- our graduates include midwives, physiotherapists, nurses, paramedics, dental practitioners and many others. The course is designed to help you to deliver your scope of practice, anywhere in the world.

Apply online

Select date of entry Sept 2026

Select programme MSc 1 year (Full time)(Distance) MSc 2 years (Part time)(Distance) MSc 3 years (Part time)(Distance) PgDip 2 years (Distance) PgCert 1 year (Distance)

Apply for Jan 2026 entry

Apply for Sept 2026 entry

Fast track (current Exeter students)

Accreditation of prior learning (APL)

Register your interest

Contact

Programme Directors: Dr Emma Cockcroft and Dr Rob Daniels

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

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Top 10 in the UK for our world-leading and internationally excellent Clinical Medicine research

Based on 4* + 3* research in REF 2021

Our Public Health research is 11th in the UK for research power

Submitted to UoA2 Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care. REF 2021

Major capital investment in new buildings and state-of-the-art facilities

Delivered in partnership with World Extreme Medicine

Nikki studied for her MSc Extreme Medicine degree delivered in partnership between World Extreme Medicine and Exeter Medical School. She has 25 years’ experience as a Human Performance Scientist, working in challenging environments.

Her specialism is to translate emerging science and medicine into practical on-the-ground interventions and strategies designed to release the potential of individuals and teams.

The programme has enabled Nikki to gain greater insight into preventing common medical emergencies in a pre-hospital environment. Taking her knowledge to an advanced level which allows her to make a meaningful and differentiated contribution in her field. During her time on the programme Nikki also travelled overseas for a three-person expedition to access an ancient indigenous trade route in Ethiopia. Her team were the first people to ever do so outside of local indigenous tradesmen, trekking 120km over 5 days completely self-organised. Facing a variety of challenges, including no in-country rescue, the MSc programme offered a multitude of learnings that were employed to mitigate risk and improve the likelihood of success.’

Read more from Nikki McLeary

Nikki McLeary

Science Lead / Project Manager with World Extreme Medicine

Entry requirements

Normally a 2:2 Honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (medicine, nursing, paramedic science).

Individuals who don't meet these criteria but have relevant professional experience may also be welcomed on to this MSc programme. Qualifications and experience will be assessed on application. Informal enquires are welcome before the formal application stage and we can discuss which areas of the course may need particular attention or advise on pre-course study to maximise your learning engagement. Should you wish to discuss this please contact our Student Recruitment and Admissions Team.

Intercalators

The full-time course is suitable for some intercalating medical students. Applicants need to have completed a minimum of 3 years of their undergraduate medical degree programme and able to evidence previous relevant experience of travelling or working in remote or hostile environments.

Entry requirements for international students

Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.\ \ International students are normally subject to visa regulations which prevent part-time study. It is recommended that international students apply for the level of the final award you intend to complete i.e. PGCert, PGDip or Masters, due to the associated cost and requirements for a Tier 4 student Visa.

Who should I contact if I am not certain I meet the entry requirements?

We are happy to advise further on an individual basis and it will depend on your existing qualifications and academic background and your healthcare experience to date. In previous years we have had participants with nursing, paramedic, midwifery and sports medicine qualifications take the course.\ \ People wishing to consider taking the course who do not have a primary medical qualification (medicine, nursing, paramedic) are strongly advised to have completed a course to FREC level 4 in order that they have familiarity with pre-hospital medical assessment and care. Offers will only be made if prospective candidates can demonstrate they bring equivalent experience and knowledge. Completion of an FREC course does not guarantee an offer and it is only one piece of information used to assess an application.\ \ If you are concerned about your qualifications being suitable for entry, please contact the Admissions Team.

Other requirements

• Wilderness medicine is a challenging field requiring practitioners to handle the  physical, emotional and mental stress whilst delivering safe and effective medical care. This unique course combines hands-on and theoretical teaching during expeditions. It will help you develop medical, expedition, and psychological skills. Along with the academic requirements, you must also handle the course's physical demands.
• It is strongly recommended that you only apply if you are confident in your physical and mental ability to undertake activity equivalent to trekking several hours on successive days carrying a 15kg pack and be prepared to sleep in tents or bunkhouse facilities with access to simple shared washing facilities. Access to the quantity, quality and type of food may be very different to your expectations of your ideal diet.
• This is a minimum expectation that replicates remote and expedition activity – you should be self-sufficient and able to undertake this level of activity with a reserve of energy that still allows you to perform your professional role as a team medic at the end of the day.
• Students who have completed World Extreme Medicine (WEM) courses within the last 3 years may apply for exemption from repeating these residentials at the discretion of the course leads, but will still be required to undertake the academic assessments and online learning for the relevant modules. Please contact the admissions team for further information about this process.

Accreditation of prior learning for Masters courses in Healthcare and Medicine

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is a process whereby students, who have already gained relevant skills and knowledge prior to the start of their course, may be granted a partial credit exemption from their programme instead of unnecessarily repeating work. Find out more about APL.

Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.

Entry requirements for international students

Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.

Read more

Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.

Entry requirements for international students

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course.

The required IELTS test scores for this course fall under Profile B2.

Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Course content

Course structure

The MSc in Extreme Medicine has 3 components: Stage 1, (which can be taken as a stand-alone PGCert), Stage 2 (which when taken with stage 1 qualifies for a PGDip) and Stage 3 which completes the full MSc. Each stage contains online learning which you can do in your own time, and residential modules in the UK and abroad.

Stage 1 contains 2 compulsory 30 credit modules and 4 residential courses. 2 of the residential courses are compulsory, while 2 can be chosen from the list below according to your interests and career aspirations.

Stage 2 contains 1 compulsory module, and then a choice of 2 modules, each with a choice of 2 residential courses.

Stage 3 contains the compulsory HPDM 148 dissertation module.

Students can study the MSc over 1, 2 or 3 years. The PGCert is also available as a stand-alone qualification, and students with this (or equivalent qualifications from other institutions) can then proceed to the PGDip and then the full MSc on completion of requisite modules. If you would like to know whether previous qualifications are acceptable, please contact the program leads.

The 1 year MSc is ideal for intercalating students- the unique distance learning model means you do not have to move to Exeter- you can live and work at home alongside study, and the longitudinal module structure is designed to allow you to study at your own pace, around your other commitments.

Stage 1 PG Cert

Core Concepts of Extreme Medicine (Compulsory module)

This contains 2 compulsory residentials (Core Concepts of Extreme Medicine and Human Factors), where you will learn the key skills required for expedition management and leadership. These both take place in the UK and are accompanied by online learning.

Extreme Physiology (Compulsory module)

This contains core online learning, where you will cover the theory and practical application of extreme physiology, covering all the key environments.  You will then choose 2 optional residentials from the list below, where you will develop in depth practical experience of medicine in those environments.

• Mountain Medicine (Nepal)
• Dive Medicine (Oman)
• Desert Medicine (Oman)
• Jungle Medicine (Costa Rica)
• Alpine Medicine (Slovenia or Chamonix)
• Polar Medicine (Norway)
• Winter Medicine (New Hampshire)
• Ocean Medicine (UK)
• Space Medicine (UK)

Stage 2 PG Dip

This stage of the course contains 1 compulsory module and 1 optional module, either Clinical Practice in Austere Environments or Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Medicine. Each of these optional modules has a wide range of choices for residential courses according to your individual interests.

• Evidence-based Wilderness Medicine (Compulsory module)
• Clinical Practice in Austere Environments (Optional module)
• Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (Optional module)

Stage 2 optional residential courses (please note supplementary fees may be payable for some residentials).

• Search and Rescue Medicine (UK)
• Mountain Medicine (Nepal)
• Dive Medicine (Oman)
• Desert Medicine (Oman)
• Jungle Medicine (Costa Rica)
• Alpine Medicine (Slovenia or Chamonix, France)
• Polar Medicine (Norway)
• Ocean Medicine (UK)
• Space Medicine (UK)
• Conservation Medicine (Namibia)
• Hostile Environment Medicine (Namibia)
• Winter Medicine (New Hampshire)

Stage 3 MSc

HPDM 148 Research project (Compulsory module)

This module takes place all year and is based online. There is no supplementary fee payable. \ Note: Different residentials must be selected for each module. The full MSc comprises 6 residentials. For example if you take Alpine Medicine as an optional residential for Extreme Physiology in stage 1, you cannot use this for Clinical Practice in Austere Environments in stage 2.

The modules below provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Modules - MSc Extreme Medicine (Distance Learning)

Please note that the module information displayed here is from a previous year and is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

The following modules are compulsory for the MSc:

Optional modules

MSc students must choose one of the following optional 30 credit modules:

Modules - MSc Extreme Medicine (Part-Time, Distance Learning, 2-year)

Please note that the module information displayed here is from a previous year and is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

Students must complete the following compulsory modules:

Optional modules

MSc students must choose one of the following optional 30 credit modules:

Modules - MSc Extreme Medicine (Part-Time, Distance Learning, 3-year)

Please note that the module information displayed here is from a previous year and is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

Optional modules

Year 2: MSc students must choose one of the following optional 30 credit modules:

Modules - PG Dip Extreme Medicine (Part-Time, Distance Learning)

Please note that the module information displayed here is from a previous year and is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

The following modules are compulsory for the PGDiploma Extreme Medicine:

Optional modules

Year 2: PGDiploma students must choose one of the following optional 30 credit modules:

Modules - PG Cert Extreme Medicine (Part-Time, Distance Learning)

Please note that the module information displayed here is from a previous year and is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

The following modules are compulsory for the PGCert Extreme Medicine:

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More course information

Timetable of Extreme Medicine Residentials 2025/26

Stage 1 PG Cert

Core Concepts of Extreme Medicine (Compulsory module)

Extreme Physiology (Compulsory module)

2 x residential courses from the list below.

Stage 2 PG Dip

Evidence-based Wilderness Medicine (Compulsory module)

This module is based online. There is no supplementary fee payable.

Clinical Practice in Austere Environments (Optional module)

2 x residential courses from the list of Stage 2 residential courses below.

Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (Optional module)

Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Medicine + 1 x residential course from the list of Stage 2 residential courses below.

Stage 2 residential course options

Stage 3 MSc

HPDM 148 Research project (Compulsory module)

This module takes place all year and is based online. There is no supplementary fee payable.

Note: Different residentials must be selected for each module. The full MSc comprises 6 residentials. For example if you take Alpine Medicine as an optional residential for Extreme Physiology in stage 1, you cannot use this for Clinical Practice in Austere Environments in stage 2.

External agency links

On top of our residentials, we have established fantastic links with the University of Texas (UTMB). Students in year 2 or 3 of the Exeter MSc are eligible to apply for the Fellowship Principles of Space & Aviation Medicine. Places are competitive and will require a month’s residency in Houston, Texas.

Independent Research

HPDM148 Independent Research

Students on the MSc programme undertake the compulsory independent research module. This will involve you producing a project report under supervision, demonstrating project design, development, evaluation, synthesis and dissemination skills. This will build you critical appraisal, project and academic writing skills and is the ideal preparation for careers in academic clinical practice.

Previous dissertations have included the following titles:

• Mapping remote telementored ultrasound (RTMUS) deployments with application to austere environments: a scoping review
• Point-of-care ultrasound for diving-related injury and illness in austere maritime environments
• Prevention of cold injury: can cold injury of the hands be prevented by cold water immersion?
• Risk factors and clinical features of oxygen toxicity experienced by divers in hyperbaric environment: a systematic review
• What is known about the health effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use in marathon and ultra-endurance running; a scoping review
• What is the Evidence Surrounding the Application of Portable Ultrasound for Fracture Diagnosis in the Austere Environment? A Scoping Review
• Women's health on expedition. Impact of expedition environment, fitness and expedition type on women's menstrual cycle and well-being
• Anaesthesia and critical care considerations for exploration class missions in human spaceflight: a literature review
• Can Psychological Distress be Prevented in Mountain Rescue Personnel?
• Comparing pre-hospital active rewarming techniques in the management of adult patients with accidental hypothermia: systematic review
• Does Premedication reduce the incidence rates of adverse reactions in snake envenomation patients: A meta-analysis and systematic review of RCT’s.
• Flow state in mountain running: the relationship between psychological correlates and occurrence of flow state in mountain running
• Low dose methoxyflurane vs alternative fast acting strong analgesics in the pre-hospital setting

Fees

2026/27 entry

Fees are subject to an annual increment each academic year.

UK and International fees per year:

• MSc  £28,900 full-time, £14,450pa part-time 2 years, £12,650 (year 1 and 2), £3,600 (year 3) part-time 3 years
• PgDip £10,000pa part time 2 years
• PgCert £10,000

Scholarships

We invest heavily in scholarships for talented prospective Masters students. For more information on scholarships, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.  

Please see the Terms and Conditions for each scheme for further details.

Find out more about tuition fees and funding

Extra costs

Special environment optional residential courses

The mandatory residential courses (Core Concept and Human Factors) take place in the UK and the only additional cost associated with these is travel to the venue, which is the responsibility of the student for all residential courses.

We are keen to offer our students the full range of opportunities afforded by our unique partnership with World Extreme Medicine, allowing students an unparalleled range of choices when it comes to choosing optional special environments residential courses in the Extreme Physiology, Humanitarian and Clinical Practice modules.

The nature of these courses and the experiences included have variable costs and as a result some of the choices have a supplementary cost in addition to the annual tuition fee.

The supplementary fees noted below are for residentials taking place in the academic year September 2026 – August 2027.

• Core Concepts (UK) £0
• Human Factors in Medicine (UK) £0
• Ocean Medicine (UK)£0
• Space Medicine (UK) £0
• Humanitarian Medicine (Corfe Castle, UK) £0
• Humanitarian Medicine (Northampton, UK)£25
• Search and Rescue (UK) £145
• Alpine Medicine (Slovenia) £375
• Winter Medicine (USA) £529
• Alpine Medicine (France) £725
• Desert Medicine (Oman) £775
• Conservation Medicine (Namibia) £1095
• Jungle Medicine (Costa Rica)£1295
• Dive Medicine (Oman) £1495
• Hostile Environment Medicine (Namibia) £1799
• Polar Medicine (Norway) £1995
• Mountain Medicine (Nepal) £2095

Travel to the course venue and accommodation

This may be the location of the course in the UK or an agreed meeting place, for an overseas course. Travel costs to the venue are the responsibility of the student, including accommodation costs associated with travel.

Accommodation for the duration of the residential course is included in course fees, with the exception of Space Medicine where accommodation costs during the residential are the responsibility of the student.

World Extreme Medicine provide information and a point of contact in the joining instructions each student receives when registering for the course.

Personal insurance

UK courses:

British residents - As with any time spent away from home, we suggest that student check their contents and/or personal insurance to confirm whether their belongings will be covered for any incident which may occur away from their home address.

International residents - International students will need to ensure that they have adequate insurance to cover their personal belongings and check with their home country to confirm their access to medical attention whilst in the UK.

Overseas courses:

British and international residents – All will require adequate travel insurance which covers them for medical expenses and personal belongings and allows for trekking at altitude/winter activities (as appropriate, depending on the course attending) and lists helicopter evacuation in the event of an emergency.

Students may prefer to source their own insurance but if required, we can direct them to a good quality insurance provider we work with.

Kit and protective clothing

A kit list which will be supplied to students for each residential, but as a list of essential items, the following items are suggested:

• Outdoor clothing – notably a waterproof jacket (£50-300) and trousers (£30-100), hat (£10), gloves (£10-40), warm walking socks (£5-15 per pair) plus clothes allowing freedom of movement
• Sturdy walking boots (£50-200)
• Warm fleece or top (£20-70)
• 40L Day pack (£15-100)
• Water bottle (£1-10)
• Head torch (£10-60)
• Compass (£20-30)
• Whistle (£2)
• Roll mat (£15-70)
• 2 – 3 Season sleeping bag (£35-200)
• Camping utensils - mug, bowl and spoon and a stove (£10-20)

These are basic items which any medic wanting to work in challenging environments will use again and again but you may choose to acquire additional kit or gadgets. Item price ranges extend from basic adequate kit to high end regular use kit.

Read more

Funding and Scholarships

There are various funding opportunities available. Details of scholarships can be found on our dedicated funding page.

UK government postgraduate loan scheme

UK students studying one or two year variants of this programme may be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan. More information can be found on the government website.

Teaching and research

Play

Our purpose is to deliver transformative education that will help tackle health challenges of national and global importance.

Teaching

The Extreme Medicine course is a distance-learning programme, delivered through attendance at residentials in various locations. No teaching is delivered on the university campuses. The residentials include locations in the UK as well as environment-specific modules in various locations around the world, and are dependent on the modules you choose. This means that you are not required to live in Exeter when undertaking this Masters. The residentials are typically 3-7 days duration and designed to provide the challenge of learning in an unfamiliar environment and rely on the collaboration and support of the other participants. There is a strong focus on working collaboratively and learning from each other in small teams. The contact teaching is concentrated in short, intensive residential blocks for each module.

Research

At the University of Exeter, we excel at working with members of the public and our partners in the health service to ensure that our research addresses the most important questions, so we can quickly translate our findings into accessible treatments and care.

Our research is globally recognised and our partnerships with healthcare providers, industry and above all, the public, mean that this work is constantly at the cutting-edge of innovation in improving lives.

Explore some of the many highlights of our research on our research impact page.

Learning

Throughout this programme you will critically examine the challenges of providing safe and effective healthcare in a range of challenging environments. Key to this learning to recognise and evaluate the unique ethical, professional and legal challenges of delivering medical care in these environments. You will undertake a number of residential courses to help you develop these skills, as well as giving you the opportunity to learn with and from your peers.

You will learn how to assimilate and apply knowledge in extreme environments and circumstances, which is invaluable for anyone intending to use their qualification to deliver care professionally. Wilderness and remote medicine at present has a small formal evidence base for many of the interventions applied.

Distance learning

The Extreme Medicine course is a distance-learning programme, delivered through attendance at residentials. These are not University of Exeter-delivered field trips, but rather the in-person delivery of the course, provided by World Extreme Medicine, taking place at the relevant delivery site for the module. At present, only the Space and Aviation medicine module is delivered on the university campuses.

Due to the residential content featured in this programme, places are limited (50 places for the 2022/23 academic intake). All material is designed for Masters level and will involve distance learning support with background information, self-testing, reading and other resources hosted on the Exeter University online learning portal (ELE), in addition to the residential programme.

Assessment

Taught modules will be assessed through literature reviews, essays, and written reports. An integral part of the programme is the residential postings which additionally contextualise your learning. There is no professional accreditation aligned with the degree. However, you can expect to receive a lot of formative feedback on your knowledge and skills from faculty while on the residential courses. Following the residentials, you will work towards a related assessment task.

The formal assessments that determine your final grade all relate to written assignments that test your ability to analyse, critically appraise and link concepts from a range of primary research and educational resources.

Independent Research Project (dissertation) module

Students have the opportunity to genuinely increase the knowledge base of the discipline in an important way through their work. There is considerable scope within modules for you to direct your learning towards fields of particular interest and participate in impactful research.

For the independent research project, you will have a dissertation supervisor as a mentor. There is provision for you to have up to 10 meetings (that can be remote eg. Teams, Zoom) of 30 minutes over the course of the academic year to advise on your project and there are formative submissions during the year of your project pro forma, interim results and progress reports that allow your supervisor to be confident that you are on track.

Support

Expert tutors will facilitate group discussions and project work and provide support for independent learning. Each student is allocated an academic tutor who is available for advice and support throughout your studies. The Programme Lead is also available to help with further guidance and advice.

Facilities

This programme is based at the St Luke’s campus in Exeter, just a 15 minute walk from the city centre and just over a mile away from the Streatham Campus. The campus is close to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and RILD building, which is home to the NHS funded Exeter Health Library. Students have studied at St Luke’s campus for over 150 years and the campus enjoys a vibrant atmosphere set around the lawns of the quadrangle.

Facilities at St Luke’s campus include:

• Life Sciences Resource Centre
• Clinical Skills Resource Centre (Heavitree Hospital site)
• Medical Imaging suite
• Medical Sciences Laboratory

Read more

I am a GP in East Devon alongside a part time Academic GP role at the University of Exeter. I am the program co-lead for Extreme Medicine, and also teach on the MSc programs in Clinical Pharmacy, Advanced Clinical Practice and Health Leadership and Management.

I have been interested in tropical and expedition medicine since completing a degree in microbial and parasitic disease as an intercalating medical student, and have been travelling and working around the world since the early 1990’s, on medical research expeditions, development projects, providing medical support for charity treks and a period working as a divemaster in the South China Sea.

Having lived in Australia for a couple of years I got into scuba diving, obtaining a post graduate certificate in Underwater Medicine from the University of Aberdeen and the Institute of Naval Medicine, and was previously a commercial diving medical referee for the UK Health and Safety Executive. Having had the bends and discovering I had a PFO, I decided to focus more on trekking and humanitarian projects, alongside working as a GP in primary care, urgent care and ENT medicine, and worked for the last 15 years for Ultimate Travel Company as an expedition doctor and more recently Phase Nepal, teaching community health workers in western Nepal.

I have also been working with colleagues at the University of Rwanda in Kigali since 2015 in a visiting lecturer role, developing telemedicine projects to improve access to healthcare for the population living in the challenging border area with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as running courses on clinical education, patient safety and quality improvement.

I have an MSc in Clinical Education and am an examiner for the Royal College of General Practitioners, and have published peer-reviewed papers on a range of topics (I am a generalist after all) in tropical medicine and infectious diseases, telemedicine, medical education, point of care testing and drug safety. I have also published several MRCGP text books. I am a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal College of General Practitioners, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

When not at home with my wife and dogs, I enjoy bikepacking with mates around Europe, Africa and Asia or visiting my grown-up kids who are studying in the USA.

For me the MSc Extreme Medicine is s fantastic course to work on, combining a really interesting academic course with the incredible authentic residential experiences taught where they should be, in extreme environments, with the opportunity to carry out and publish research that improves health outcomes.

Read more from Rob Daniels

Rob Daniels

Programme Co-Lead

Emma is a Lecturer in Health and Community Sciences with a role that combines research and teaching. Emma brings expertise in a wide range of research methods, particularly in mixed-methods and health service research, which underpins the programme’s goal of advancing academic understanding in the field of extreme medicine. Emma’s research interests centre on intervention development around physical activity for health and wellbeing, with a PhD from the University of Exeter (2017) investigating the impact of exercise intensity on cardiometabolic health in children and adolescents.

In addition to her research, Emma is a dedicated endurance athlete with a background in rowing and cycling, currently competing at a high level in long-distance triathlon. Her practical experience in endurance sport complements her academic work.

Read more from Dr Emma Cockcroft

Dr Emma Cockcroft

Programme Co-Lead

With over four decades of expedition leadership across all five continents, Mark Hannaford founded Across the Divide in 1996, the first company to embed salaried expedition doctors on every journey.

This pioneering model exposed a major gap in conventional medical training and led to the creation of World Extreme Medicine (WEM), now the world’s leading organisation for training medics in remote, humanitarian, and disaster settings.

In 2021, he launched Medics4Ukraine (now WEMFund), which has delivered more than £3.7 million in trauma supplies and frontline medical training. To date, the initiative has provided over 3,200 training days in combat trauma care and Stop the Bleeds, earning Mark two Ukrainian Humanitarian Medals for his contribution.

In 2023, Mark was awarded a Doctor of Science and named honorary graduate by Exeter University. In 2021, he received the prestigious EC50 Award from The Explorers Club, recognising 50 individuals who are changing the world through exploration, science, and impact.

Read more from Mark Hannaford

Mark Hannaford

Founder & CEO, World Extreme Medicine

Will is Joint Medical Director and provides clinical oversight for all World Extreme Medicine’s activities. Will is a jobbing Devon based GP, educator and adventure addict who thrives in wild places with newly formed teams and limited resources.

He has provided medical cover for dozens of very different expeditions and projects; including commercial high-altitude treks in The Himalayas and The Andes, a luxury Trans-Siberian private train, a reality TV show in the South Pacific and he has worked with UNICEF out in forgotten corners of Myanmar.

Will’s main work streams include the World Extreme Medicine Conference, Live Webinars, Podcasts, World Extreme Medicine Fellowship, course development, tutoring on the Extreme Medicine Masters Programme, and being a Shoot Doctor for the show ‘Survivor’.

He is passionate about developing the range and capabilities of fellow medics through sharing the insights of world class minds.

Read more from Will Duffin

Will Duffin

Joint Medical Director, GP, World Extreme Medicine

Your future

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Who is this course for?

This programme is suitable for anyone with an interest in delivering healthcare outside of conventional healthcare facilities (such as hospitals, GP clinics), which could include expedition support, humanitarian work or medical support for remote industry.

It is also suitable for those from a range of backgrounds and professions, including: paramedics, medics, nurses, medical scientists, allied healthcare professionals, military medics, intercalating medical students.

Employer-valued skills this course develops

You will be working or looking to work in situations of rapid change and uncertainty and you will be looking to demonstrate capabilities that extend beyond clinical competence into areas such as leadership, communications, teamwork, resilience, humanitarian relief, planning and logistics.  You will learn the practical skills, knowledge and understanding needed to perform at the highest possible level in the field of extreme medicine.

Career paths (graduate destinations)

Extreme Medicine is an emerging specialty. Graduates of the programme will enhance their medical skills to practice in challenging and remote environments. They will acquire field based knowledge and skills to demonstrate their strategic understanding of expedition operations, to potential employers and to the wider deployment team.

Potential roles may include:

• Disaster response, working with NGO’s or government contracts
• Medical cover for security operations
• Expedition and wilderness medicine
• Working with media organisations
• Remote research or logistics
• Careers support

All University of Exeter students have access to Career Zone, which gives access to a wealth of business contacts, support and training as well as the opportunity to meet potential employers at our regular Careers Fairs.

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