UNC Wilderness Medicine faculty and students have represented the University at both national and international wilderness medicine events this summer, highlighting the program’s growing presence and opportunities for collaboration.
Todd Williams, DMSc, PA, and Stephen Scott, DNP, FAWM, were invited to serve as instructors for the University of Utah’s Wilderness Medicine in the Alps program in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France. The UNC faculty taught
alongside wilderness medicine instructors from across the United States and Europe, providing instruction to residents, medical students and undergraduates from universities throughout the country.
Following their successful participation, Williams and Scott were invited to return next year, with an additional invitation for UNC to bring its own residents, medical students and undergraduates to participate in the program.
The opportunity could establish a long-term partnership between the University of Utah and UNC and provide UNC wilderness medicine learners with an international experience in the French Alps.
Closer to home, UNC Wilderness Medicine Program faculty member Andy Lobonc, MD (Anesthesiology) and UNC School of Medicine students represented UNC at the 2026 Wilderness Medical Society Summer Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. As part of the conference, Lobonc and medical student Jesse Novacs competed in the MedWAR Race, a wilderness medicine competition that tests participants’ clinical knowledge, decision-making and outdoor skills. The UNC team earned an impressive second-place finish.
Together, these experiences showcase the UNC Wilderness Medicine Program’s commitment to hands-on education, collaboration and opportunities for learners to apply their skills in challenging environments both close to home and around the world.