Expedition Medicine (sometimes known as expeditionary medicine) is the field of medicine focusing on providing embedded medical support to an expedition, usually in medically austere or isolated areas. Expedition medicine provides the physical and psychological wellbeing of expedition members before, during, and after an expedition.[1] Expedition medicine may be practiced in support of commercial, non-governmental organizations, and government expeditions.[2] Some medical governing bodies consider expedition medicine as a field within wilderness medicine, whilst others considered it be a separate discipline.[3][4]
This field of expedition medicine has ancient origins and has been practised almost since the advent of medicine and expeditions. Many ancient civilizations embedded medical staff with military units.[5]
Medieval Era
As expedition and merchant crews grew during the later medieval era, barber surgeons and other medical staff were added to the crew complement.[6]
Age of Discovery
During the Age of Discovery, expedition medicine planning became more integral to explorers on land and sea, especially in the prevention of scurvy.[7] Many explorers, to include Cristopher Columbus, traveled with surgeons as part of their crew.[8][9] A Genoese barber-surgeon traveled with John Cabot on his 1497 voyage to the coast of North America.[10][11] Three barber surgeons traveled with the Magellan expedition and one was part of the crew of 18 Castilians who returned on the Victoria.[12]David Samwell, a Welsh surgeon, traveled with James Cook on his third and final voyage aboard the HMS Resolution.[13]
In the late 19th century, the influence of notable medical practitioners like Friedrich von Esmarch and members of the Venerable Order of Saint John pushing for every adult man and woman to be taught the basics of first aid eventually led to institutionalized first-aid courses and standard first-aid kits in the military and eventually in other medically austere locations.[18]
During the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, spanning from 1895 to 1922, at least eighteen expeditions ventured to the icy continent. These arduous journeys typically lasted between eighteen and thirty months, and the majority included one or two doctors within their ranks.[19] Each of the expeditions led by Ernest Shackleton included two surgeons.[20] Seizo Miisho was the expedition medicine physician and crew member of the Japanese Antarctic Expedition of 1910–12.[21]Dr. Alistair Mackay, the assistant surgeon on the British Antarctic Expedition of 1907–1909, is known for being the first person (along with Douglas Mawson and Edgeworth David) to reach the South Magnetic Pole on 16 January 1909.[22]
Modern advances, such as the use of remote physiological monitoring devices, have allowed expedition medicine providers to monitor and treat medical situations quickly.[24]
↑ Almazán. "Death and Disease on the First Circumnavigation of the World". Google Arts & Culture. Fundación Elkano. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2025. The following individuals were among those on board the ships that set off from Seville: Juan de Morales, a physician and surgeon who was in charge of all health-related matters for the fleet; and three barbers: Pedro Olabarrieta of Galdakao, Marcos de Bayas of Sanlúcar de Alpechín, and Hernando de Bustamante Carrero of Mérida. The last of these was one of the 18 Castilians who returned on the Victoria.
↑ Bethany Nemec (2 April 2019). "End of the Oregon Trail - Doctors and Diseases on the Oregon Trail". Historic Oregon City. Retrieved 16 August 2024. Not many wagon trains had doctors traveling with them, and it was common for trains without doctors to try to stay close to a train that did have one.
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