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Welcome to part two of Kilimanjaro Diaries! Ffyon Davies was invited to support a charity trek up Mount Kilimanjaro as the medic last year, alongside Francis Screech. Their first-time ascent of the tallest freestanding mountain in the world was both thrilling and nerve-wracking for her. Although she had prior experience climbing Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro presented new challenges with its extreme altitude. In this episode, Ffyon and a fellow medic reflect on their adventure to the top by listening to Ffyon's voice recordings made during the climb. They discuss the realities of climbing Kilimanjaro as expedition medics, from managing altitude sickness to the underestimated demands on the body at 19,000ft. Both gained valuable insights from this unforgettable trip to Africa's highest peak.

Welcome, to Kilimanjaro Diaries... Part one! Ffyon Davies was invited to support a charity trek up Mount Kilimanjaro as the medic last year, alongside Francis Screech. Their first-time ascent of the tallest freestanding mountain in the world was both thrilling and nerve-wracking for her. Although she had prior experience climbing Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro presented new challenges with its extreme altitude. In this episode, Ffyon and a fellow medic reflect on their adventure to the top by listening to Ffyon's voice recordings made during the climb. They discuss the realities of climbing Kilimanjaro as expedition medics, from managing altitude sickness to the underestimated demands on the body at 19,000ft. Both gained valuable insights from this unforgettable trip to Africa's highest peak. Stay tuned for part two of the Kilimanjaro Diaries by subscribing to the podcast today so you don't miss out on the next chapter of Ffyon and Francis' journey up Kilimanjaro!

In this session Eoin speaks with Claire Park on a new primary triage tool developed by Claire and a research team. It has been accepted and agreed by NHS England for use by all UK ambulance services and prospectively by National Police and Fire Services. It has also been adopted by the UK MOD to roll out across all UK military personnel internationally. Claire Park is a Consultant in Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine for London HEMS, and Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine at Kings College Hospital in London. She also is an army consultant with over 20 years of deployed military experience. Claire is the medical adviser to the Specialist Firearms teams of the Metropolitan Police Service, and has worked closely with all of the emergency services in London on developing the joint response to high threat incidents, in particular following the attacks of 2017.   She is the Chief Investigator on a UK nationally funded research grant looking at evidence for improving patient outcomes in the hot zone in major in

In this session we are speaking with Justin Shook on his experiences as a Parachute Jump Medic (PJ for short) with 131st Rescue squadron Pararescue. Justin is a senior team leader, paramedic, jump master, dive supervisor and instructor, evaluator and chief of weapons and tactics at Moffett Federal Air Field in California. Get ready for a podcast journey as Justin takes us deep into the captivating world of debriefing, preparedness, and the extraordinary life of a parachute jump medic. Learn how these principles extend beyond the boundaries of mere lifesaving, reaching into the very heart of thriving in both business and military environments. We dive into the exclusive selection process for pararescue, where candidates are pushed to their absolute limits, both mentally and physically. Justin spills the beans on the intense training program, advanced medical certifications, and even their involvement in space shuttle astronaut recovery. Plus, we discover the awe-inspiring challenges faced by parachute jump me

Following International Paramedics Days we wanted to carry on the conversation. In this episode we will examine the current climate of critical care within the UK, how that looks and the journey of where its come from. We examine the anatomy of competency, portfolios, the journey towards MSc established programmes, intervention & drugs Vs critical thinking and much more.  Eoin Walker is joined by Tom Archer and Mike Palmer. Tom started his career in the ambulance service in London in 2004 before moving to Wales in 2010, predominantly working in central London as a Paramedic, fast response paramedic and now an Retrieval practitioner in Critical Care with ERMTS in Wales. Mike Palmer qualified in London Ambulance Service as a Paramedic and specialised in Hazardous Area Response before becoming a flight paramedic on London’s Air Ambulance. He now flies as a Critical Care and Retrieval practitioner for EMRTS in Wales.

In this session our newest podcast host Sarah Spelsberg speaks with Stephen Wood about emergency concerns and preventive warnings heading into the Fourth of July holiday in the US – a holiday renowned for increased trauma, burns, and explosive injuries - as well as how he balances his extreme/tactical medicine careers with his leadership, research and academia. Stephen proves that you really can have it all in your career. Stephen is an acute care nurse practitioner and program director for the acute care nurse practitioner program and the new Extreme Medicine program at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also the Field Operations Director for the US for World Extreme Medicine. He is currently working clinically in the ED at Carney Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Previous to this he was the director of advanced practice providers in the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center from 2021 - 2023 and the director of affiliated providers in the di

On this episode, Eoin Walker and guest Gregg Brady discuss the importance of pre-hospital triage, particularly in high-stress environments like active shooter incidents. Brady, who is the Deputy Chief for FDNY, discuss pre-hospital triage, its evolution and utility in modern day medicine. Incidents involving active shooters, violent extremists, barricade situations or other acts of aggressive deadly behaviours represent some of the most challenging responses to the first responder community. These types of responses test the capabilities of first responders—including mass-casualty care. The FDNY is the primary response agency to mass casualty incidents in New York City, which continues to be a potential target for domestic and international terrorism. Captain Gregg Brady has spearheaded an innovative approach to FDNY Warm Zone Triage to quickly address severely injured patients in an environment under possible threat. The discussion also covers assessment techniques for airway, massive haemorrhage, chest wo

Jeremy Joseph, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon began his medical school training in 1977. He then conducted his ophthalmology training at the Royal London Hospital. He was appointed as a consultant in 1994. He then continued his post at the Central Middlesex Hospital. Mr. Joseph retired from practice in 2018 with the intention of continuing to work abroad for charities. On this episode Jeremy speaks to Pavandeep Singh to discuss the world of extreme medicine and ophthalmology. Mr. Joseph, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon with extensive experience in cataract surgery and ophthalmology across the globe, trained Singh in manual small incision cataract surgery during a trip to Bolivia. The speakers delve into the challenges of surgery in low-resource areas and adapting to different environments, including language barriers and inadequately skilled staff. They also highlight the importance of encouraging local surgeons and not imposing methods used in one's home country. Jeremy emphasise the life-changing ben

On this episode, host Ffyon Davies speaks with Charlie Mize about his experience establishing specialty care and a prehospital critical care air retrieval program in Bhutan, as well as founding his own aviation consulting company. Charlie also discusses his expertise in emergency medicine and offers insights on providing elite care in low-resource settings. He emphasises the importance of returning to first principles to save lives and prevent morbidity, and shares examples from his own work including a group of nurses providing medical assistance in a remote area of Bhutan. The episode covers a range of medical topics from epidural decompression to wildlife safety, and offers valuable lessons for emergency medicine professionals and enthusiasts alike. Charlie Mize is a trained emergency medicine specialist with experience in both pre-hospital and in-department emergency care. He first trained as a general physician in the US before specialising in emergency medicine and resuscitation. He spent a year teachin

Join us for an exciting episode as we explore the exhilarating world of the PGHM and their remarkable rescues this season. Experience the thrill as we dive into the daring missions conducted by Pierre Muller, an Emergency Medicine Doctor and Alpinist renowned for his technical expertise. From Mont Blanc's treacherous slopes to remote corners of the globe, Pierre's life-saving operations have shaped his incredible career. But there's more! We'll tackle a crucial topic: the risks and unregulated ascent trend on Mont Blanc. Should climbers be required to obtain permits and be guided by experts to ensure their safety? Discover the heated debate surrounding these issues and explore potential solutions for climbers attempting Europe's tallest mountain. Meet Pierre Muller, an extraordinary Emergency Medicine Doctor, Explorer, and Alpinist, whose incredible feats across the globe will captivate your imagination. With over 500 daring rescue operations under his belt and expeditions spanning from th

Our guest is Dr. Barry Mckenna, part of the Forces of Nature team planning a 2,000km, unsupported kayaking expedition from Seattle to Skagway Alaska known as 'The Inside Passage', all in aid of the military charity The Not Forgotten. We discuss the medical requirements of the team members, including two bilateral above knee amputation members, one with significant abdominal injuries, one with significant head gunshot injuries, and one with PTSD. Dr. Mckenna also shares his personal experience with Guillain-Barre Syndrome and how fitness and physical exercise helped with his rehabilitation. We discuss the importance of nutrition, hydration, and establishing open communication with the team to prevent injuries. Listen in for valuable insights on medical planning, flora and fauna risks, and the benefits of incorporating active recovery into therapy You can support their efforts here: https://www.kayak-insidepassage.com/

"Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself, despite the difficulties you may face." Rebekka started her career as a medical technician before qualifying as a paramedic in Switzerland. After completing her Master’s degree in Mountain Emergency Medicine, she started working as a freelance flight paramedic, which led her to working as the lead critical care and flight paramedic on Denali. After working as a freelance for Air Zermatt for 3 years, she now works for them full time and is their first female paramedic. Our host Ffyon, discusses her journey into the profession, including her time spent on high patrol for Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America. We also speak to Rebekka about Air Zermatt, a helicopter-based rescue organisation in the Swiss Alps that performs various rescues, including the use of Dynamic Winching, a technique not commonly used in the UK. Join us as we delve into the mental and physical challenges of high altitude medicine and what it takes to perform rescues in

Cat is an NHS dentist in Cornwall and a recent faculty member of World Extreme Medicine, teaching expedition dentistry. She has always had a passion for adventure and helping others and this has led her on a journey across the globe. From the jungles of Borneo to the deserts of the Gobi, the African grasslands and the mountain regions of Nepal and Patagonia, Cat has travelled extensively to provide dental care and training to remote communities. She has now set her sights on the most remote continent on earth and a more ambitious challenge... This will involve her skiing 700 miles in an unsupported expedition to the South Pole, in temperatures as low as -50c and wind speeds of up to 60 mph. Only a handful of female adventurers have completed this solo, unsupported trek to the South Pole. She is hoping to add her name to that number and also in the process raise funds for charities ‘Bridge to Aid’ and ‘Community Action Nepal’ You can support Cat here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/molarexplorer

In this episode we explore unconventional career paths into extreme medicine. Many people in extreme medicine have led extraordinary careers – and sometimes they have even led more than one extraordinary career. Most of us in extreme medicine start out in medicine as our primary career …..and then work to combine our passion for medicine with our passion for the extreme!  Jamie flipped that idea on its head, starting out as a mountaineering instructor and later qualifying as a doctor following his experiences in the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team. Jamie is a mountaineering instructor, mountain rescue medical lead and doctor in North Wales. Jamie started out his career as a marine biologist, before qualifying as a mountaineering instructor, and going on to join Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue and discovering a passion for pre-hospital and emergency medicine. Following this he retrained as a doctor and continues to pursue an unconventional career path in North Wales as an anaesthetist with a passion for teachi

Dr Will Duffin speaks to former Navy Diver and prolific underwater explorer and researcher Dr Joe Dituri. This episode is recorded from underwater as during Joe's 100 day under sea mission in the Jules Undersea Lodge in Florida. You can learn more about Joe's groundbreaking work here: https://drdeepsea.com/100-day-undersea-mission The following topics (amongst many others) are discussed:What it's like living in a confined tin can, why access to coffee is just as important as oxygen, and why it's actually a powderkeg that could up in flames at any moment. Joe even gives us a visual walk around of the habitat - (It's well worth loading up the youtube version of this podcast if you can). Joe tells us Why the cure for diseases like Alzheimer's, cancer and traumatic brain injury lie at the bottom of the ocean. They talk about the physiology of saturation diving, it's future application in science and research and as an analogue for long duration space flight. Joe answers the question o

Eric Pirie has taken an interesting career path; starting in a non medical job, journeying through Mountain Rescue, a full time outdoors instructor and culminating in qualifying as a paramedic in his fifties. Eric joins Deb Swann to discuss how you can forge your own career pathway to combine an outdoors passion with a medical career. Eric discusses his experience of working with Mountain Rescue, the skills and experiences needed to support the teams, and how it ultimately encouraged him to qualify in paramedicine where he now works for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Benjamin Black joins us to discuss his recent book launch of ‘Belly Woman’ a first-hand account of the impact a humanitarian crisis has on access to maternal and reproductive healthcare. Belly Woman explores the global disparity in maternity care, including safe abortion care, alongside the compounding factors of a humanitarian emergency that was the Ebola crisis. Benjamin Black is an obstetrician and gynaecologist who holds a specific interest in how to respond to the sexual and reproductive health needs of populations living in remote, resource-poor and humanitarian-emergency settings social aspects of working in healthcare. Benjamin studied medicine in London, following which he pursued a career in obstetrics and gynaecology. Between his medical training he completed post-graduate studies in epidemiology and statistics, and a master’s degree from The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, in the Political Economy of Violence, Conflict and Development. He has provided assistance on t

James Thacker is a IFMGA Mountain Guide, member of the British Association of Mountain Guides (BMG) and Mountaineering Instructor (WMCI) splitting time between Chamonix, France, and Kingussie, Scotland. James' enthusiasm for working in the mountains has taken him to Arctic Greenland, the Himalayas, the "classic north faces" of the European Alps and rock climbing around the world. For sixteen years James was actively involved with Mountain Rescue in the Peak District as a member of Derby MRT and Edale MRT. With this casualty care experience James has also developed an interest in the management of patients in the mountains, and is enrolled on the ORMS Hazardous Environment Medical Technician (HEMT) scheme. In recent years James has also contributed to the wider agenda of mountain safety via the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), and is a Trustee of the Chris Walker Memorial Trust (CWMT). CWMT strives to fund and deliver, in conjunction with the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS), c

In this episode Stephen invites Dr. Li and Dr. Ching, two paediatric emergency medicine physicians, to discuss paediatric considerations in disasters. The discussion highlights the importance of planning for these vents including involving paediatric patients in disaster drills. Re-unification is stressed as something that requires a great deal of planning to appropriately execute and both Dr. Li and Dr. Chung identify key factors for successful implementation. EMS and Law Enforcement can also play an important role, and the team shares some advice on transport of paediatric patients in the disaster setting. The discussion ends on a difficult topic, which is planning for the death of a child and trauma-informed methods for managing this, as well as the affected families and staff. Sarita Chung, MD is the Director of Disaster Preparedness in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor of Paediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Board certified in

In this episode, Will Duffin is joined by Ffyon Davies, a fellow extreme medic, to discuss her most memorable moments in the field. They delve into her experiences in Mountain Rescue and as an Expedition Medic on Mount Kilimanjaro, which is considered one of the most challenging roles in the field. The conversation covers a range of topics including team dynamics, leadership, casualty management, wilderness fracture management, and more. They also explore how to tackle the unique challenges of expedition medical care such as preventing water from freezing at high altitudes and managing a spread-out group. Other important aspects discussed include understanding one's limits, vulnerability modeling, the significance of having a trusted colleague to confide in, and coping when one is struggling at altitude while others in the group need treatment. The episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice for anyone interested in extreme medicine. About Ffyon: Ffyon is an ED Registrar based in North Wales