Train hard, fight easy: essential requirements for medical training in the context of extreme cold weather

The delivery of healthcare in extreme cold weather (ECW) poses unique challenges.1 ECW presents distinct training requirements, similar to that of the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear environment that require specific provider training to ensure effective care.2 To ensure clinicians are competent, training must contain those elements essential to practice in the environment – prolonged casualty care (PCC) and high-fidelity simulation, all with environmental specific considerations. The British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit (BASMU) has an established relationship with the Defence Medical Services (DMS), including deployment of military doctors to support polar operations across the British Antarctic Territory. Both the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and DMS face the challenge of deploying to arduous environments with significant challenges to evacuation. These …