Staff and physicians from the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics won the MedWAR Challenge this month in Mesa, Ariz.

MedWAR, which stands for Medical Wilderness Adventure Race, is a contest that combines physical challenges and wilderness medicine in a daylong race. Competitors participated in a multi-sport race — canoeing, mountain biking, trekking, and orienteering their way through an adventure course. Along the adventure, they were expected to address and treat patients in mock wilderness medicine scenarios. Some of the “incidents” they encountered were a bear bite and a potential spine injury.

Two teams of providers from Tahoe Center for Orthopedics volunteered their time to compete against other teams from across the nation. Lauren Hansen, Chris Kozlowski, and Alby Dean finished in first place.  The second team comprised of Terry Orr, Khristy Gavigan, and Caitlin Robinson, placed fourth.

MedWAR is tentatively scheduled to take place in the Lake Tahoe area in September.