Join the WFA training and keep the community safe!

What is WFA?

Wilderness First Aid is a two-day introduction to general medical concepts and basic life support skills. The course is being offered by Mountain Education & Development LLC. If you are or want to become a MITOC winter leader this course is very helpful, as having a WFA or WFR is a requirement to become a full B or C leader.

Topics to be covered: Wilderness Medicine Theory & Legality; Patient Assessment; Documentation; Bleeding & Shock; Wilderness Wound & Burn Management; Spine Injuries; Head Injuries; Cold Injuries; Heat Illnesses; Allergies & Anaphylaxis; Diabetic Emergencies; Lightning; Altitude Illnesses; Abdominal Emergencies; Athletic Injuries; Fractures; Dislocations; Emergency & Evacuation Plans; Common Wilderness Medicine Problems; First Aid Kits & Medications.

Certification and Recertification Guidelines

Upon successful completion of the course components, a student is granted a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) recertification. (Re)certifications are valid for three years.

Students who received a WFR certification within the past 3 years can take this course to recertify. Before recertifying, students who received their previous WFR certification from a non-MED provider must check with the MED instructors (info@mtnschool.com) ahead of the course to ensure MED and the previous course provider share certification reciprocity.

There are no limitations to the number of times an individual may recertify their WFR. MED does recommend individuals take a full WFR training every few years if time/money allows, especially if they do not spend regular time focused on this content.

When is it?

WFA: Saturday (November 15) and Sunday (November 16) from 8:00am - 5:00pm, with a 1 hour lunch break each day.

WFR recertification:

• Saturday (November 15) from 8:00am-5:00pm and 6:00-8:00pm, with a 1-hour lunch break

• Sunday (November 16) from 8:00am-5:00pm with a 1 hour working lunch

Breakfast and lunch will be provided both days.

Where is it?

Room 2-190 on the MIT campus. Please arrive promptly. Students will be at the main entrance (77 Massachusetts Avenue) from 7:30-7:45am to help you get into the building if you don’t have card access.

How much does it cost?

WFA training costs $295 and WFR recertification costs $325. See below for details on MITOC's course subsidy program available to MITOC (co-)leaders.

How do I sign up?

1. Visit MED’s signup page.
2. Read all the information on the course page.
3. Pay the $295 or $325 course fee.
4. Sign up as a participant on this trip page.

Sign up and payment deadline is November 8, 2025.

Note: Your spot in the course will not be confirmed unless your payment is received through MED’s signup. Space is limited; sign up and pay today!

Fall 2025 MITOC Leader Subsidies

Last edited Oct 14

To help offset the cost of learning outdoor safety skills, MITOC subsidizes wilderness safety courses for MITOC co-leaders. For the purpose of course subsidies, co-leaders are MITOC members who lead/co-lead at least TWO trips of any type or season, within one year before or after a training.

The two trips used to subsidize the cost of WFA/WFR recert cannot be used for any other leader subsidies, and reimbursement must be requested after leading the two trips but within one year of the course date (before November 15, 2026).

Effective fall 2025, for the following courses offered through MITOC x MED:

• If you are a MITOC (co-)leader and MIT student: WFA training costs $100 and WFR recertification costs $100.

• If you are a MITOC (co-)leader and not an MIT student: WFA training costs $150 and WFR recertification costs $150.

• For all other MITOC members: WFA training costs $295 and WFR recertification costs $325.

If you plan to request both the leader subsidy and reimbursement via desk credit, please submit your reimbursement request after all criteria have been met - we cannot process more than one reimbursement for the same receipt. Thank you!

For external (non-MED) WFR recertification courses: if the course fees are no more than the cost of MITOC's corresponding course, MITOC leaders can still be reimbursed up to the maximum reimbursement offered that season for the corresponding wilderness medicine course (WFA recert or WFA depending on what MITOC is offering that year) and student/non-student status.

Applying for Leader Subsidies / Reimbursement

For MITOC leaders: please first pay the course cost to MED in full through their registration page.

Then, within one year of the course date (before November 15, 2026), follow the reimbursement instructions listed here, noting the below details:

• On the Google Form: request the difference in cost between the official program cost that you paid to MED, and the MITOC-subsidized cost listed above.

• When emailing mitoc-trez@mit.edu:

  • CC WFA/WFR chairs Yunting and Juliana!

  • Subject line: either, "MITOC WFR Recertification Leader Subsidy" or "MITOC WFA Training Leader Subsidy"

  • Include: links to the two trips which you have led.

  • If you do not have MIT certificates, also include 1) your WFA training/WFR recertification receipt, 2) a proof of purchase (credit card/bank statement showing the charge), and 3) a mailing address for the check in this email.

Paying with desk credit

You can also pay with MITOC desk credit.

To pay with desk credit, pay the full course cost in full to MED and then request reimbursement, following the directions here.

If you plan to request both the leader subsidy and reimbursement via desk credit, please submit your reimbursement request after both criteria have been met - we cannot process more than one reimbursement for the same receipt. Thank you!

Questions?

Please feel free to email Yunting and Juliana with any other questions or concerns!

Yunting Fang, yuntfang@gmail.com Juliana Lu-Yang, jluyang@mit.edu