The Expedition Medical Cell of RGS-IBG was established in 1996. Its initial remit was to provide medical advice to the Society's field research programmes and, through teaching and research, to reduce the hazards of participating in an expedition or travelling in remote areas.
The Cell has been involved in research into the health risks associated with expeditions, and has been closely associated with several popular handbooks on Expedition Medicine, including most recently the 2nd edition of the popular Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine .
To improve the quality of information the Medical Cell provides, we are developing a series of best practice guidelines. Much of this work is done online and we welcome enquiries from anyone with expertise who can help improve the quality of healthcare in very remote areas. We also host meetings to debate the guidelines, and try to bring together enthusiasts in this exciting area of medicine.
In the UK a number of separate special interest groups have been established and we hope that the new RGS-IBG Expedition and Wilderness Medicine Advisory Group will aid liaison between these bodies
Members of the core committee of the cell are: Prof Chris Imray (chair), Dr Sarah Anderson, Dr Jon Dallimore, Dr Chris Johnson (convenor), Mr James Moore, Mrs Shane Winser and Prof David Warrell.