Robin Pope, PA of Sylva Orthopaedic Associates completes rigorous training to join select group of Academy of Wilderness Medicine Fellows

6/12/2012

Robin Pope, PA of Sylva Orthopaedic Associates completes rigorous training to join select group of Academy of Wilderness Medicine Fellows

Sylva, N.C. – Robin Pope, a physician assistant with Sylva Orthopaedic Associates, always had a love for the outdoors that he wanted to blend with his career as a healthcare provider. 

After nearly three years of specialized training, Pope recently achieved his goal of melding this personal interest with his work endeavors by becoming a Fellow with the Academy of Wilderness Medicine, a program sponsored by the Utah-based Wilderness Medical Society. 

With this accomplishment, Pope – who also has been a member of the Wilderness Medical Society for years – became the sixth person in North Carolina to become an Academy of Wilderness Medicine Fellow. Worldwide, there are only 229 current Wilderness Medical Society members who are Academy of Wilderness Medicine Fellows. 

Pope trained in Western North Carolina to become an Academy of Wilderness Medicine Fellow by completing service work, coursework and the practical application of what he learned. Professionally and prior to joining Sylva Orthopaedic Associates, he worked in the emergency department at Durham Regional Hospital and with an emergency medical services agency. Pope’s personal outdoor endeavors include being an assistant scoutmaster for Troop 999 in Sylva, an avid hiker and camper with his family, and a kayak and swiftwater instructor with the American Canoe Association. 

At Sylva Orthopaedic Associates, Pope said it’s not uncommon for him to encounter patients with orthopedic wilderness injuries, such as skiing injuries, ankle and knee injuries from hiking and shoulder injuries from paddling. 

“I really wanted an opportunity to combine what I do professionally with what I like to do recreationally,” said Pope, a North Carolina native who has worked with Sylva Orthopaedic Associates for nearly seven years. “It was a pretty exciting thing to work on. Even though it was very challenging, it also was a lot of fun to complete.” 

The 46-year-old said he also drew on his experiences as a scoutmaster working with youths in wilderness settings, including a week he spent volunteering at the health clinic at Camp Daniel Boone, the Boy Scouts of America camp in Canton. 

“Because my interests are primarily water-related, I did a lot of my internship for the fellowship teaching river rescue and river safety courses and was fortunate to do some training through Landmark Learning in Cullowhee,” Pope said. 

Pope said he next plans on pursuing the Academy of Wilderness Medicine’s Master's Fellow degree program, an advanced certification for Academy of Wilderness Medicine Fellows who excel in a sub-discipline of wilderness medicine. 

“Everyone at MedWest and at Sylva Orthopaedic Associates has been really supportive of me becoming an Academy of Wilderness Medicine Fellow, and I appreciate it very much,” Pope said. 

Sylva Orthopaedic Associates is located in Suite 203 at 80 Healthcare Dr. in Sylva. For more information, visit www.sylvaortho.com or call (828) 586-5531. 

The Wilderness Medical Society is devoted to wilderness medical challenges and such wilderness medicine topics as expedition and disaster medicine, dive medicine, search and rescue, altitude illness, cold- and heat-related illness, wilderness trauma and wild animal attacks. Learn more about the Wilderness Medical Society at www.wms.org.