Introduction

Dr. Kristina Höschlová is the founder and director of the Mountain Medicine Course in the Czech Republic.

“Mountain medicine combines two lifelong passions of mine – my profession as an emergency medicine doctor and the mountains. I spent my childhood in the foothills of the Ještěd Mountain, and ever since the mountains have been my second home. When I summited Mt. Blanc the first time, I was 18 years old. Each year I would explore a different country, different region, and different mountain range all over the world. High mountains will never cease to fascinate me with their immeasurable powers and quiescent grace.

In 2003, as a member of the Czech Mountain Medicine Association, I have been introduced in the mountain medicine. Just a year later I went on my first high mountain expedition. In preparation for this expedition I also enjoyed precious advices from Josef Rakoncaj, a legend of the Czech Himalayan climbing.

During my medical studies I spent several summer seasons working at a goat farm in a Swiss mountain village, Verbier. From there my journey took me to the Alpine Rescue, and so, in the winter 2006, I spent my first season as an emergency doctor with the Mont Blanc Helicopteres in Avoriaz, France.

I am currently an emergency medical doctor with the Liberec region Emergency Medical Services, providing ambulance and helicopter based medical response.

During my foreign stays, I have been lucky to meet a lot of excellent medical professionals. Due to these international acquaintances I was invited in 2013 to attend the international Master Course in Mountain Medicine in Italy. The course impressed me and so I decided to bring this education and expertise also in the Czech Republic, which suggested me to open the International Mountain Medicine Course in the Czech Republic.

The first edition of the Course was held in 2016. Ever since, 71 medical doctors, paramedics and mountaineers from 8 different countries have successfully participated in the educational program. 48 of them were awarded by the medical diploma “DiMM”, whether 23 non-medical participants achieved a certificate about the qualification in mountain medicine. Quite symbolically, the last edition was concluded in March 2021 at the Dvoračky mountain hut, exactly 5 years since the beginning of the project.

During the Course we were delighted to welcome many worldwide recognized lecturers. Apart of our pleasant cooperation with the Helicopter Emergency Medical team from Liberec and the Czech Mountain Rescue we were pleased to exchange our experiences with the Bergwacht Bayern rescuers from the Helicopter Training Centre Bad Tölz (GER) and the Alpine rescuers from Avoriaz, France.

Although there was a lot of relentless work behind, I feel absolutely enriched as for the joyful open spirit and the enthusiastic atmosphere, which have accompanied us throughout all the period. Therefore, I like to express my sincere and deep gratefulness to all of the organizers, lecturers, supporting partners and mostly to all of the Course’s participants.