Drew Schnyder, MD
Medical Director
The SUWS Medical Director is Drew David Schnyder, MD. Dr. Schnyder is a graduate of the Medical College of Georgia and a board certified family practice physician with two medical offices in the Old Fort, NC area. After his residency training, Dr. Schnyder spent nearly 10 years with the US Air Force and has received specialized training in Wilderness Medicine, Expeditionary Medicine, NASA Space Shuttle Recovery Program and Military Field Trauma Medicine. He is currently certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support, and is an Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Life Support instructor. During his four years stationed in Japan, he was the director of training for the advanced independent paramedics and personally supported special operational missions in the austere environs of Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. During his 3.5 years working at Aviano Air Base, Italy as the Chief of Aerospace Medicine / flight surgeon, his duty regularly involved extraction of injured military personnel in Afghanistan, Iraq and other middle eastern locations and the medical support of two F-16 fighter squadrons.
Dr. Schnyder provides 24/7 support for the SUWS students, both for emergency consultation, or for treatment of other minor medical issues. His specialized training grants him unique insight and expertise into the management of patients in a wilderness environment with exposures to extremes in weather and a variety of physical and emotional stresses. His extensive work with illness and trauma in the austere environment, both directly and in command positions, makes him well suited to make experienced-based judgment calls regarding management of a variety of situations that may arise.
After leaving the Air Force in 2012, Dr. Schnyder moved to Western NC with his wife Rayne and their two children, Samuel and Emma. His personal interests include rock climbing, tennis, blues, Italian culture and travel.
