An Interview with Dr. Richard Ingebretsen, Program Director, University of Utah School of Medicine
Each summer, an exceptional program is conducted by the University of Utah School of Medicine in Chamonix, in the heart of the French Alps, an intensive two-week Wilderness Medicine and Rescue course that combines classroom instruction with field-based medical training. Designed for medical students, residents, healthcare professionals, and undergraduate students, the program blends intensive lectures with practical hands-on field simulations in challenging alpine environments. Last year, I had the privilege of participating in the program as a student, where it served as my final clinical rotation prior to graduating from medical school. This year, I returned as both a physician and an instructor, leading numerous field-based medical exercises and a few lectures. The 2025 program included approximately 40 medical students and residents, along with over 60 undergraduate students. The experience was both inspiring and enlightening, reinforcing the relevance of wilderness medicine not only for clinicians but for those in Medical Affairs, including Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs).
To better understand how this unique program benefits not just physicians-in-training but also those working in Medical Affairs roles, I interviewed Dr. Richard Ingebretsen, the visionary program creator and director behind the Wilderness Medicine curriculum at the University of Utah School of Medicine.
Interview Questions:
- Dr. Ingebretsen, the Wilderness Medicine program has gained international recognition for its immersive and rigorous structure. For those in Medical Affairs (i.e., Medical Science Liaisons, medical affairs leaders, etc.), what unique skills or perspectives does this program cultivate that could be applied to their roles in industry?
As more people venture into the backcountry, injuries are increasing. There has never been a branch of medicine devoted to teaching medical professionals how to treat or prevent such injuries. Wilderness medicine encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries and medical conditions that may occur during activities in remote territories away from cities, ambulances, and hospitals. It covers how to practice medicine where there is no medical support and where a person might have to improvise care
- Many MSLs and Medical Affairs professionals are required to navigate dynamic, high-pressure environments where clinical decision-making, scientific communication, and adaptability are key. How does wilderness medicine training mirror or enhance those core competencies?
They are almost identical. Being in an austere environment required ingenuity and adaptability as much as anything else. Clinical decisions must be made without the benefit of obtaining data with instruments, so the clinician must use their intuition and minds. This is rough for those who rely on computers and instruments, so wilderness medicine pushes people to test themselves.
- This year’s program included both foundational lectures and extensive field simulations ranging from high-altitude medical emergencies to remote rescue coordination. How do you envision these experiences shaping the confidence, leadership, and communication styles of professionals working outside traditional clinical settings?
We tend to rely on others when a situation becomes tense, urgent, or emergent. Decisions in these situations can be extreme. One of the best ideas taught in wilderness medicine is self-reliance and the ability to make medical decisions where a person must rely on their own minds and thoughts. In the wilderness, decisions must be made quickly with little data and without the backup of an ambulance or traditional medical care.
- From your perspective, why might a non-traditional participant—such as someone in a scientific engagement or medical education role within pharma—benefit from attending a program typically aimed at clinicians and students?
Wilderness medicine is for everyone who ventures into the backcountry. It is not just for people with a medical background. Most people go outside into the woods to hike. Others swim, ski, or run along a trail. If a medical issue arises, they cannot call 911. They must rely on skills learned in a wilderness medicine course.
- Over the last several years, have you seen an increase in participation from non-traditional or non-clinical medical professionals—such as those working in the pharmaceutical industry or Medical Affairs—and if so, what do you think is driving their interest in the program?
This is simple: People go outside. They get sick, injured, or experience some other calamity. People want to know what to do.
About the author:
Samuel Dyer, MD, PhD
Dr. Samuel Dyer is the CEO of the Medical Science Liaison Society and has over 25 years of international MSL experience. During his career, he has managed MSL teams and operations in over sixty countries across the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. He has facilitated the successful launch of pharmaceutical and medical device products for both Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies and small biotechnology companies.
Dr. Dyer has coached, interviewed, and reviewed the CVs of countless aspiring MSLs. His insights and guidance have resulted in hundreds of aspiring MSLs successfully breaking into their first roles.
While leading the MSL Society, he has conducted MSL training programs for over 75 pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies in more than 15 countries. Dr. Dyer has also written extensively on the Medical Science Liaison profession, including numerous published articles, benchmark studies, and reports. He has been the keynote speaker and moderated numerous international conferences on various MSL–related topics, including creating teams, management, MSL training, proper utilization of MSLs, global trends, and the KPIs and metrics used to measure MSL performance. Dr. Dyer has also served as a resource and consultant on several MSL–related projects for several organizations, including McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company.
Dr. Dyer has an MD from Washington University (Health & Science) School of Medicine, a PhD in Health Sciences from Touro University, a Master’s degree in Tropical Biology (where he studied in the Amazon) from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of the State of New York. Dr. Dyer also completed a certificate program for Executive Leadership and Strategy in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology at the Harvard Business School.
Dr. Dyer is the author of the multi-award-winning and Amazon #1 Best Seller, The Medical Science Liaison Career Guide: How to Break into Your First Role (https://amzn.to/4aoYcZp). The book is the first and only step-by-step guide on how to break into the MSL profession and it has received multiple prestigious awards, including:
- 2024 Winner of the American Legacy Book Awards in the Business: Careers category.
- 2024 “Gold Award” Winner – Literary Titan Book Awards in the Career category.
- 2023 “Best Book” Winner – Pinnacle Book Achievement Award in the Career Development category.
He is also the author of the Medical Science Liaison Job Application Tracking & Interview Self-Evaluation Journal (https://amzn.to/49n6MGR).
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