Expedition medicine

Expeditions and adventure travel are becoming increasing popular. As these ventures continue to grow in popularity so too do the opportunities for doctors interested in expedition and wilderness medicine. A few doctors manage to make a career in expedition medicine but for the majority it remains a hobby that runs alongside their usual clinical practice. At the same time expedition and wilderness medicine is progressing as a speciality in its own right. This review aims to serve as an introduction to expedition medicine, to raise points for further consideration and to signpost the next steps for those that are interested in acting as an expedition doctor. The requirements of an expedition doctor and the possible medical problems faced are as heterogeneous as the environments travelled to and the groups travelled with. This review outlines a number of principles that hold true in pre-expedition planning, during the expedition and in the post-expedition phase.