Race Medical Directors and health professionals will have the opportunity to improve their knowledge and race-day management skills through the World Athletics Race Emergency Medicine Courses.

World Athletics Race Emergency Medicine Courses are one-day courses combining theory and practice, with the objective of providing participants with the ability to manage various health-related scenarios during endurance events. Courses are organized in conjunction with major road races and World Athletics events, to give participants the opportunity to observe the work done by the hosting medical staff during the race. The e-learning part of this teaching is indivisible from the practical part.

Participation in courses is limited to 30 people, as the practical part of the course will be delivered through small groups, and participants’ interaction is a fundamental part of the learning process.

Medical Directors of Label Road Races will be required to participate in at least one Race Emergency Medicine Course (or other World Athletics recognised educational activity) every 3 years, as part of their continuing medical education.

Race organizers will be required to include the name of the Medical Director who holds such participation certificate(s) when applying for a World Athletics Label.

Participation in the course is free of charge for Race Medical Directors of all World Athletics label road races and will receive registration priority (accommodation and transportation costs to the REMC location are at the expense of the participant). All healthcare professionals interested in medical care in endurance events are welcome to register; however, their participation is based on availability of spots and is offered on a first-come first-served basis.

Following the conclusion of the course, the participant will be able to:

1. Predict individual risk factors for running related injury and illness using baseline data available at time of registration;
2. Adopt novel approaches to supplement and strengthen traditional epidemiological methods for collecting medical encounters;
3. Outline intervention strategies to potentially reduce risk of fatal and near fatal medical encounters during endurance events;
4. Explain the basic principles of mass casualty triage;
5. Manage medical care for individuals entering the medical tent at a road race;
6. Apply the use of medical algorithms for management of common injuries and events encountered during road races.
7. Outline a strategy to assess the differential diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment for runners who have collapsed during or after an endurance event;
8. Perform pre-hospital care of exertional heat stroke;
9. Explain the criteria for diagnosis of exertional hyponatremia and its role in administering appropriate treatment;
10. Implement steps for temperature monitoring and/or warming for hypothermic athletes.

REMC STEPS

STEP 1	STEP 2	STEP 3
e-LEARNING COURSE A theoretical part accessible 3 months prior to the workshop	PRACTICAL COURSES Morning: Tabletop & simulation of different scenarios Afternoon: Hands-on learning & visit of race medical facilities	VOLUNTEERING / OBSERVATION Volunteering in the race medical facility when allowed by race management, or observation at key course locations.

For any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us: healthscienceevents@worldathletics.org

Back to top