Sharqiya Sands, located in Oman, offers an exceptional environment for remote medicine training, particularly in the field of desert medicine. This vast wilderness, with its towering sand dunes and unique desert conditions, provides an unparalleled setting for acquiring specialized skills and knowledge essential for providing effective medical care in austere and challenging settings.
1. Unique Desert Conditions
Sharqiya Sands is a ‘living’ desert, offering unparalleled conditions perfect for remote medicine training. The extreme temperatures, challenging terrain, and endemic diseases specific to desert locations require medics to develop particular expertise in coping with the demands of such an inhospitable environment. Training in this environment enhances the understanding of diagnosing and treating endemic illnesses, trauma, and specific desert and heat-related conditions.
2. Accessibility
Despite its remoteness, Sharqiya Sands is accessible, with less than a two-hour drive from the capital city of Muscat on a modern, three-lane highway. This accessibility allows for practical, hands-on training in a real desert environment, which is crucial for developing the necessary skills for remote medicine.
3. Real-world Experience
The World Extreme Medicine Desert Medicine Course, held in Sharqiya Sands, provides a two-part expedition on foot, supported by vehicles and camels. This real-world experience is invaluable for learning to navigate, communicate, and traverse the desert environment, ensuring the safe evacuation and treatment of patients.
4. Development of Non-technical Expedition Skills
In addition to medical skills, desert medicine training in Sharqiya Sands also fosters the development of non-technical expedition skills, such as communication, navigation, and trekking. These skills are vital for providing comprehensive and effective medical support in remote and extreme environments.
5. Transferable Skills
The skills acquired through desert medicine training in Sharqiya Sands are not only essential for anyone looking to work in a desert environment but can also be transferred across various austere environments. This makes the training a valuable investment for healthcare professionals seeking to advance their careers in remote medicine.In conclusion, Sharqiya Sands provides an ideal ‘classroom’ for remote medicine training, offering unique desert conditions, accessibility, real-world experience, and the opportunity to develop both technical and non-technical expedition skills. This training is not only beneficial for those looking to work in desert environments but also for any healthcare professional interested in remote medicine.
