Join the Adventure
From mountains to lakes, ski slopes to waterfalls, and everything in between, the High Country has always drawn us to explore, experience, and be immersed in the beauty of nature. Our rolling mountains welcome people from far and wide and provide endless opportunities for adventure. Unfortunately, more opportunities for adventure can translate to higher incidences of injuries, illnesses, and traumas.
“As physicians and local leaders, we have chosen to serve our community through improving access to medical care for everyone, not just in the office, but as far-reaching as in the wild,” says Dr. David Brendle, Associate Program Director of the Boone Rural Family Medicine Residency Program. The conference is open to all – including physicians, residents, PAs, NPs, nurses, students, and more.
Docs gone wild
At the heart of the High Country Wilderness Medicine Conference are David Brendle, DO, and Brett Magner, MD, family medicine physicians and faculty members with UNC Health Appalachian’s MAHEC Boone Rural Family Medicine Residency Program. Both share a deep appreciation for the outdoors and the unique challenges it presents.
“Spending time outside through trail running, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing has always fed my soul,” says Dr. Brendle. “After becoming a physician, I felt a responsibility to gain training specific to providing medical care in austere environments.” Over the years, he has actively pursued wilderness medicine education through the Wilderness Medical Society.
Dr. Brendle founded the High Country Wilderness Medicine Conference in 2023 to support and equip individuals across the region with practical tools, resources, and training for providing care in remote and resource-limited settings.
“Given the Boone Rural Family Medicine Residency Program’s location here in the High Country, we felt it was important to offer wilderness medicine-focused education to our resident physicians,” Brendle explains. “Community outreach is also a core part of our program, and this conference brings those two priorities together.”
Dr. David Brendle at the Everest Base Camp.