R.A.M.M. Outdoor First Aid Training

Emergency First Aid  Courses for Expeditions and remote environments

Welcome to Remote Area Medical Management (R.A.M.M.)

The R.A.M.M. modular programme was developed by Royal Army Medical Corps trauma medics and experienced outdoor instructors, to meet the growing medical needs of the expedition, exploration and travel industries. There are four standard programmes, catering for the diverse requirements of our customers, ranging from an introductory first aid level, through to advanced medical procedures for Doctors, Nurses and those operating in remote environments where more advanced skills may be the difference between life and death.  We also run bespoke courses on request including for the overseas exploration sector.


R.A.M.M. courses continue where traditional first did courses end and are taught by an experienced faculty of outdoor and medical instructors including Doctors with significant practical experience of overseas expeditions. All of our instructors have a background in the outdoor and expedition industries. Many of them have military backgrounds including UK elite forces and RAMC medics. Each instructor is qualified through training delivered by a faculty of instructors from our training division. In addition we develop training experience with recognized trainer qualifications. We also operate a Continuing Professional Development programme to ensure that our instructors are up to date on medical techniques and equipment, such training being delivered by our own training team as well as visiting lecturers and approved external bodies such as the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

With over 25 years of training, we have delivered programmes to over 10,000 people worldwide, encompassing many nationalities, including delivering training overseas from China to Peru, Sarawak to Belize and Germany to Norway. Our clients include exploration geologists to outdoor professionals, expedition leaders to TV presenters and gap year students to serving military. We are proud of our client list which includes leading companies from the expedition and mineral exploration industries as well as prestigious academic establishments sending researchers overseas and medics who require training or experience in remote or hostile environments.


Our instructors are regularly called on to provide specialist lectures on expedition medical and safety issues. These include some of the best known providers in the expedition sector including National Geographic, media organizations including the BBC and academic establishments such as the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.


R.A.M.M. is a registered first aid training provider under the First Aid Industry Body (FAIB).

Why do I need medical training?

Travelling overseas is a rewarding and enjoyable experience - embracing new cultures and meeting new friends. Every year thousands of people travel overseas without encountering any problems. However what would you do if confronted with a life-threatening situation? What if there was no Doctor available?


More importantly the Royal Geographical Society has said, "it has been shown that people trained in first aid are more safety conscious and have fewer accidents than untrained people" (source - RGS Expedition Medicine Handbook).


This is where we can help. All R.A.M.M. instructors have vast experience of overseas travel, an extensive array of medical knowledge and most importantly are currently active within the expedition industry. Their style of instruction is therefore second to none.

Level 1 - R.A.M.M. Explorer First Aid

This 1-day basic course is designed to give the individual a grounding in remote medicine. This course exceeds the recommendations for the HSE approved Emergency First Aid at Work course and is valid for a period of 3 years.

Duration: 1 Day

Subjects include:
  • Course introduction & Administration 
  • Aims & Responsibilities of the First Responder 
  • Priorities of Treatment 
  • Primary & Secondary Assessment 
  • Adult Resuscitation 
  • Airway Obstruction 
  • Scenario  
  • Bleeding 
  • Shock 
  • Basic Wilderness Fractures 
  • Expedition Hygiene 
  • Extremes of Temperature
R.A.M.M. Explorer Medicine Course Content

Level 2 - R.A.M.M. Exploration Medicine First Aid

This 2-day course is designed for exploration geologists, base camp staff, field assistants for use in more remote regions (to assist team medics) and new country/first entry teams visiting a new country or location for project scoping. 

Duration - 2 Days

Subjects include:
  • Course introduction & Administration 
  • Aims & Responsibilities Responder 
  • Priorities of Treatment 
  • Primary & Secondary Assessment 
  • Adult Resuscitation 
  • Airway Obstruction Scenario 
  • Bleeding 
  • Shock 
  • Basic Remote Fractures 
  • Expedition Hygiene 
  • Wilderness Burns 
  • Extremes of Temperature
  • Intermediate Remote Fractures 
  • Spinal Injuries 
  • Altitude Medicine 
  • Evacuation Techniques 
  • Bugs, bites and bowels 
  • Tropical Medicine Common Disorders
R.A.M.M. Exploration Medicine Course Content Read the Independent Newspapers Review of our Courses

R.A.M.M. First Response Emergency Care 

We tailor our FREC courses to ensure that they are relevant to the environments that your teams are operating in. The Qualsafe Level 3 Award in First Response Emergency Care (RQF) is a regulated and nationally recognised qualification, ideal for those looking to work or volunteer as a first responder. FREC meets the staffing requirements detailed in the ‘Purple Guide’ for Health, Safety, and Welfare at Outdoor Events and is the only Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCS Ed) Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care (FPHC) endorsed qualification listed in the ‘Purple Guide’ at PHEM D. 

Duration - 5 Days

Subjects include:
  • The Pre-Hospital Environment 
  • The role of FPOS 
  • Scene safety 
  • Minimising risk of infection 
  • Post-incident procedures 
  • Scene management - Safety - Triage
  • Patient Assessment 
  • Communicating with patients 
  • Primary survey and assessment 
  • Safe moving and handling
  • Respiration & Airway Management
  • Recognition of respiratory problems Common breathing difficulties Basic airway management
  • Use of suction 
  • Removal of crash helmets 
  • Use of oropharyngeal airways Oxygen supplementation Ventilation support Bag/valve/mask
  • Basic Life Support
  • Perform basic life support 
  • Recovery position 
  • Perform child and infant basic life support
  • Defibrillation
  • Automated external defibrillation Normal/Abnormal heart rhythms
  • Circulation & Shock
  • Recognition and initial care of haemorrhage: - Bleeding - Shock (to include faints)
  • Medical Related Emergencies
  • Recognition and initial care of: - Heart attack/angina - Diabetes - Stroke - Epilepsy - Unconscious patient - Asthma/anaphylaxis 
  • Assisting the paramedic
  • Trauma Related Emergencies 
  • Recognition and initial care of injuries to bones, joints, tendons and ligaments Recognition and initial care of burns & scalds 
  • Recognition and initial care of other trauma related injuries 
  • Skeletal stabilisation
Please contact us for further information and pricing.

for R.A.M.M. level 4 courses (R.A.M.M. Medic), please contact us. These courses are for registered medical healthcare professionals only.
R.A.M.M. Introductory Video R.A.M.M. Course Overview Download R.A.M.M. Course Information Pack

Case studies

Organising a course

Courses can be run in the UK either at the client’s premises or at one of or training centres throughout the UK. By prior agreement courses may also be offered throughout the world.


For courses over 12 candidates, a second tutor is required. Please emailinfo@alistaircole.co.uk or call us to discuss your requirements.

Client list


Previous clients include:


  • Aberdeen University 
  • Adventure Lifesigns Expeditions
  • Anglo Gold Ashanti
  • Amsterdam University
  • Antarctic Survey
  • British Broadcasting Corporation   
  • BMW Group 
  • Cambridge University 
  • Camel Trophy
  • Coral Cay Conservation
  • Durham University 
  • Department for International Development 
  • Edinburgh University Exploration Society 
  • Eton College
  • Fauna & Flora International
  • ITN
  • Lanchester Greenland Expedition 
  • Norwegian Military
  • Outlook Expeditions
  • One Tribe TV
  • Operation Wallacea 
  • Oxford University
  • Perse School Expeditions
  • Raleigh International   
  • RNIB
  • Save The Children
  • Sense Expeditions 
  • Trekforce Expeditions   
  • The International Scientific Support Trust
  • University College London 
  • Wilderness Medical Society
  • Wellington College
  • World Challenge Expeditions
  • World Society for the Protection of Animals

Bespoke courses

For those wishing to produce their own bespoke courses please find listed below the subject headings and approximate timings (in minutes). Please note that all subjects shown in bold type are mandatory for stages 1-2. An average training day consists of 6-8 hours.