In April, team members from Baystate Medical Center Emergency Medicine and alumni headed on a long journey in Nepal to the base of Mount Everest. The 23-day quest was part of wilderness medicine training hosted by Wild Med Adventures and Dr. Ben Mattingly, who established Baystate’s Wilderness Medicine Fellowship.
Dr. Ashley Deutsch, associate program director, Emergency Medicine Residency, says they all left with valuable knowledge that can help our own community such as more training on hypothermia and altitude sickness. What stands out the best for Dr. Deutsch was learning how to be more resourceful when caring for a patient.
“Some clinics in Nepal have very few resources. Many of the clinics have no roads and very few have helipads. For some clinics, the only way to get there is by transporting on foot. It was very impressive to see how much they can do with so little resources. It reinvigorated my passion for Emergency Medicine,” she says.
What also shined on this experience was the team building between doctors, nurses, paramedics, and physicians assistants. “This trip truly highlighted how wonderful the people we work with are. Day in and day out we were pushing ourselves to the extremes. It was a privilege and honor to hike 17,598 feet together. They are more than just co-workers, they are friends and family,” says Dr. Deutsch.
The crew prepared for the 70+ mile journey by winter hiking and training with weight on their backs. For Dr. Deutsch, hiking to the base of Mount Everest was dream she’s had since she was seven years old – and now she’s been able to check that off her bucket list.
Dr. Mattingly, a Baystate Health Fellow alumnus, carried on with the trek to the top of the summit. You can learn more about that journey here:
Great work to Dr. Ashley Deutsch, Dr. Adrianne Wurzl, Dr. Elizabeth McClure and Dr. Brian Hagan, Mary Kasunick, RN, Jamie Broussard, PA, and paramedics Jeff Halper and Tristan Krauss on this momentous achievement that has ignited a spark of inspiration and propelled you to new heights!
