Letter from the Chair

Patrick Burns, MD, FAWM, DIMM
Chair, ACEP Wilderness Medicine Section

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back to another installment of the ACEP Wilderness Medicine newsletter. I hope to see all of you at our annual meeting at ACEP25. I am sure that you are all deep into your summer outdoor adventures and hopefully using this time to reconnect. As I wrote in my last piece, I have long believed in the restorative power of nature and recently had the privilege of experiencing that firsthand, not just as a physician, but as a son and uncle.  What I found reaffirmed the healing potential of wild spaces, even when viewed through the vigilant lens of emergency preparedness.

As a celebration of my mother’s retirement, I wanted her to have the experience of exploring the wonders of the world.  Our days were spent kayaking through remote sea caves (with minimal bats), hiking beautiful coastlines and even paragliding down pristine alpine valleys – seriously, my mother jumped off a mountain and I am still in awe.  It was a gift to witness her moments of wonder at the natural world and to push herself beyond her comfort zone.

I then swapped roles from son to uncle taking my nephew on an “Uncle Adventure” across Norway. We chased cod in fjords, surfed on the remote and rugged coastline and tore down mountain biking trails. It was profound for me to watch him push through his limits and emerge even stronger.

And yet, even in these moments of adventure and exploration, I couldn’t quite turn off my physician brain. As EM physicians, we are aware of the hazards of being in breathtaking places. I thought constantly about terrain risks, medical access in remote areas, evacuation scenarios and packing the right medical kit. I spent countless hours planning and researching to create a unique and safe experience for them both. When I asked my 13 year old nephew the theme of the trip, he obediently responded, “Don’t Die!”  I try to impart life lessons whenever I can!

Luckily, aside from a bit of short-lived paddling associated neuropathy and a gentle spill on a mountain bike, we all completed the trip unscathed and content. I reaffirmed that I recharge when there is balance of existing with mindfulness in nature coupled with my need to solve a puzzle and some calculated risk taking.

As we continue to teach, lead and serve try to carve out time to slow down and reconnect with the natural world in the spirit of Japanese forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) but also honor the part of your brain that also finds joy in making the pieces fit….and bring your loved ones along on the adventure.

Stay safe out there and thank you for all that you do!