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 Guest Blog - Sam Kelly MSA

Today we start the first in a series of blogs in conjunction with our friends at the Maritime Skills Academy, and kicking it all off is a Guest Blog from MSAs Head of Training, Sam Kelly.

Sam is 37 and lives in southeast Kent, in the quaint seaside town of Deal with with his wife, two children and a ‘Golden Doodle’ called Pringle. He has lived in the area ever since his father, a serving Royal Marine at the Deal Depot, and mother decided this was the place to raise their family. And it is, quite frankly, an excellent place to live. Here is his story…

I’m the Head of Training for the Maritime Skills Academy, based in our head office in Dover. I oversee a team of Maritime Safety Instructors who deliver all STCW training for seafarers. Outside the Dover base, we have MSA Gibraltar. This location is operated in partnership with the University of Gibraltar and delivers Basic Safety Training and most recently Operational Firefighting, We are actually in the process of building a state-of-the-art Fire Training Module on ‘the Rock’.

The Maritime Skills Academy has also delivered Operational Firefighting training to Philippine crew in Manilla, after working out that sending two of our instructors there was actually more cost-effective than bringing the 20 crew over to the UK! 


I work closely with our clients to create bespoke training based on their specific Safety Management Systems and Emergency Response Plans. Together with my assistant, Dean Stores, I work through our Quality Management System in the background to make sure we remain ISO compliant as a training centre, and keep our delivered courses up to date.


Before I went to sea, I had tried my luck with the Royal Marine Commandos. But, having

spent a fair bit of time in Hunter company (where the injured rehabilitate before continuing training), the recruitment advert strapline of ‘99.9% should not apply’ rang true!  Handing my CS95 back to the storekeeper I was now on my way to the Alps, where I became a chalet host for the company Crystal holidays. This job involved cleaning the chalet and preparing cakes and hot meals for the guests that stayed with me for the week,and of course there was the downtime of snowboarding nearly every day all day. For the summer season I chose Ibiza, and it was here that a good friend came out to visit and stay with me during one of his rather frequent and lengthy time off periods. The reason for the time off being that it turns out the upside to working at sea is the time for time rotas and you don’t pay tax!

Sadly, my Dad fell critically sick in 2009, so I flew home to be with him and he passed away only a few weeks later. But, this was the kick I needed to make a career for myself. I got in contact with a lady called Jo Carrol, from the Ship Safe Training Group. I found my sponsor in P&O Ferries and made my way up North to start my nautical training to become a Deck Officer at the South Shields Training centre in Newcastle.

Attending South Shields Marine School, studying to become a Deck Officer was the very start of my maritime career. After qualifying, I spent a few years with P&O Ferries and DFDS, but the highlight was working for Seabourn when I was able to visit countries and ports I had never thought possible. If I had to choose, my favourite port was Bequia, an island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.


After a few years though, I hung up my epaulettes to pursue a career in shoreside marine operations with Saga Cruises. It was a great experience and I was involved in designing cruise itineraries, managing port turnaround operations and representing the company at industry events such as Seatrade, International Cruise summits and CLIA.. It was brilliant to be part of the team who saw in two new ships - the Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure. 


One of the standout moments when working for Saga took place early one morning in February 2020. when I was at the gym. I received a call from the Captain of Saga Sapphire stating that COVID-19was present at their next port and asking what we wanted him to do. Two weeks later, the world stopped. Luckily we had both vessels in the UK and managed to seek refuge in the port of Tilbury. We successfully repatriated all crew and laid the vessels up. Sadly, I became a COVID-19 statistic as the job market destabilised, but luckily managed to walk straight into Viking Maritime Group as a Maritime Safety Instructor.


Training was never really something I thought I would pursue as a career, but also something I didn’t realise I was quite so passionate about. Covid effectively forced my hand and a phone call from Mark Jaenicke resulted in an invitation to the Maritime Skills Academy (MSA) to see just what they do. Sitting in on a few courses, I could see the instructors enjoyed what they did - I loved the way they interacted with the class, the good humour, teamwork, and they were so knowledgeable about their subjects. It felt like being back at sea. 


My role has evolved since joining MSA and so has our reach. Be it one day courses in Gibraltar, ship or port visits globally - even spending a week in the jungle in a town called Tagaytay in the Philippines delivering a fire course in 90% humidity conditions one week, and a typhoon the next! I do enjoy the travel and having the autonomy to grow the Maritime Skills Academy into what it is now. 


A typical day at MSA starts with a coffee and a team catch up, to run through who is leading what course, room allocation, and any assistance required. The team then sets up the Fire Ground, preparing breathing apparatus and cylinders, plus PPE for the delegates. The pool cover is removed and Liferafts or rescue boats prepared, life jackets and immersion suits inspected and laid out ready to be worn. If we are on the boats, we drive down to Ballast Quay in Dover Port and sling out the Fast Rescue Boats or Totally Enclosed Lifeboat, issue PPE and, in the winter months, extra layers and coats! 


If an instructor hasn’t been assigned a course to lead or assist, then the behind the scenes work starts - there’s always something to do! We continually update our courses to ensure they are industry leading and in line with current legislation and M-Notices. Any changes are submitted to the MCA as part of our approval process. If paperwork is up to date, we can focus on our own Continuous Professional Development; this could be in the form of online courses, off site courses (such as Working at Height with our partners at Guardian), or setting up a range of scenarios involving injured casualties or tricky situations, and working out how best to safely resolve it. I also try to make sure I take any opportunities to keep in contact with our clients and represent MSA at a host of events and working groups through the year.

One of my favourite parts of the job is having the autonomy to steer the training pathway. This is a real highlight, and a good example is creating an operational fire fighting course that can be delivered during the port stay of a vessel. Locations for this are currently Dover and Gibraltar. I also really enjoy getting involved with the training when the diary permits. There’s real satisfaction when leading a course, to see the crew walk away either having learnt something new or remembering something that they had forgotten.


Medically speaking, I’ve dealt with a range of different situations, but one stands out from my time at sea. We were discharging cars and freight on a wet evening in Dunkirk, out on the top deck, when I received a call from the Bosun to say there was a car coming down the ramp to me with its hazard lights on as the driver wasn’t feeling very well. 


I managed to speak to the driver who could only manage few English words, but as she was holding her heavily pregnant belly, was in tears and in severe pain, I realised the severity of the situation straight away. We are having a baby on board! I highlighted the urgency to the Master and requested an ambulance as soon as possible. The lady managed to move to the back seats on her own and within 5 minutes, though it felt like hours, a French ambulance was on deck and took the lady inside. Just two minutes later, the baby was born! I was MEGA not prepared for this on board and it’s not something I recall being taught in all the medical courses I’ve attended!


For anyone interested in this kind of career, I’d say that my several years sailing as a qualified Deck Officer, and time spent as a marine operations manager, really helped me to gain the knowledge and skill set from both sides of the table. This helps to ensure the level of training I give is relevant to the crew attending. So gain as much seagoing experience as possible during your career, understand the legislation and information sharing processes that exist. A good understanding of the STCW Code and MNTB guidelines would really help too. 


In order to stay up to date, I carry out Continual Professional Development training, both individually and as part of the MSA team. We regularly complete planned drills in a variety of scenarios - from someone with a major injury in the pool, to a fall inside the fire training centre. It’s really practical training and helps us to look at all aspects of the situation - how would you get someone injured in a life raft to the side and to safety? How do we make the area safe for responders and rescuers? Where is the nearest medical kit? Who should take on what role in an emergency? How do you debrief staff afterwards? Training in a real environment, or as close to real as you can get, can really make a difference in an emergency situation. 


Which brings me nicely to Beyond Compliance, a phrase I’ve developed over the last few years. We all know it’s mandatory for vessels to sail with crew that are fully certified in their specific duties, but I’m a passionate advocate for ‘Beyond Compliance’ - further investing in the crew through training. 


Did you know that on average, 90% of a company’s training budget is allocated to just 10% of the crew? Yet we know that investing time and effort into training crew will improve morale, retention, confidence and a feeling of being valued by their employer.

I believe in training for the worst and hoping for the best! Fires do happen and Lloyd’s Register have reported 55 accidents involving fire or grounding on yachts over 24m in the last 5 years. Additionally, we’re seeing an increase in lithium-ion battery fires, often caused by stored lithium gadgets in tender garages and other areas.


For instance, think about the crew responsible for fire fighting onboard. Fire training is held in a purpose-built centre that mimics the environment on board a vessel. Here we can train safely in hot and smoky conditions, teaching the crew company specific requirements when dealing with a real fire on board. 


The statistics show that fire prevention training for ALL crew, going beyond the mandatory standards set, ensures they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to confidently deal with an emergency on board. If crew complete our operational firefighting training, they will take away confidence in the equipment, improved communication skills and a greater understanding of the importance of teamwork. They will also have a much better knowledge of their own company’s emergency response procedures.


So, for the future you can expect to hear more about Beyond Compliance, plus more about our fantastic partnership with Red Square Medical who share our passion for quality training that really works. 


We hope you’ve enjoyed this insight into Sam’s work at the Maritime Skills Academy. If you’d like to find out more, please head over to https://www.maritimeskillsacademy.com/ where you can find out more about the courses available at all locations. 

Sam is a great person to work with, you should definitely share this with others who are interested in how varied a career in the Merchant Navy can be.....

James Griffiths - Guest Blog

by Rachel Smith • 6 November 2024
Welcome to our latest guest blog where we’ve been chatting to James Griffiths, General Manager of Ocean Operations for Scenic Group and finding out more about what happens behind the scenes in order to keep a fleet of luxury expedition ships running. Here’s what James told us… As General Manager of Ocean Operations, I’m responsible for the operations of our fleet which includes four ships in service with around 850 colleagues. I currently live in Mumbles, near Swansea in the UK, but due to the nature of my work I spend a significant amount of time living in Croatia. Prior to this role, I spent many years working at sea and worked up through the ranks to Captain and over the last 15 years, my main focus has been on polar expedition travel. I hold a master mariner certificate of competency in addition to a degree in engineering and a post graduate diploma in law. Part of my job is to work with our medical service provider (Red Square Medical) to ensure that our ships are offering medical services that are appropriate for their deployment, and this can often be to some of the most extreme and remote locations around the world. It’s extremely varied, though during the COVID-19 pandemic, I came ashore when our operations paused for a significant period of time. I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to lead the restart of our Ocean Operations, which included setting up everything from a company to manage the ships, to selecting our crewing, medical, helicopter and submarine partners and providers, amongst many other things. Our areas of operation, and the nature of our cruises (expedition), plus having aircraft and submersibles onboard some, do mean additional elements involved in the management of these ships. You could say that this current position is more of a happy coincidence than one that I actually planned for! In some ways this is a great positive - I do think it’s possible to plan a little too much and then be disappointed if things don’t go quite the way you had imagined. But there’s no danger of that here!

Paramedic on tour - Simon Lawton heads to Mexico

by Rachel Smith • 3 October 2024
Back in February 2022, we brought you one of our very first guest blogs from Simon Lawton, a Paramedic who has swapped out his ambulance for a Superyacht! You can read the original blog here: https://www.redsquaremedical.com/superyacht-paramedic-a-guest-blog-from-simon-lawton Over the last 2+ years, we’ve followed Simon’s career, and some of you may even recognise him as he does put a Red Square Medical instructor hat on from time to time. But, as for all healthcare professionals, Simon has to keep his skills up to date. So, we asked him to tell us a bit more about how he juggles this along with a rota onboard. Here’s what he told us… I’m originally from Stoke-on-Trent in the UK and trained as a HCPC registered Paramedic. I’ve spent almost 5 years working at sea now, with almost continuous employment on three different vessels, after leaving the ambulance service in 2019. My first role was as a Paramedic/Deck hand on Superyachts, and I now work as a Medical Officer on a maritime vessel. Even before I applied to become a Paramedic, I intended to complete my studies to help find employment in a remote or offshore environment. I had always been attracted to the idea of being able to travel the world while earning a salary. Working at sea has meant that I have travelled extensively, earnt a higher salary, and have a better work/rest balance than would be possible in a role on land. Note: At the time of writing, a qualified Paramedic’s starting pay in the UK was £28,407 and Simon’s old rota was 2 days, 2 nights (all 12 hours) and 4 days off with very inflexible annual leave. This year I decided to carry out some continual professional development (CPD) at a hospital in Mexico, to keep my skills up to date. I was interested in travelling to find out more about how healthcare services are provided outside the UK and Europe. The CPD activity in Mexico allowed me to do exactly that, while caring for and treating a wide variety of patients who had either self-presented in the emergency department, or been conveyed to hospital by ambulance.

Inequalities in CPR on Women

by Rachel Smith • 25 September 2024
Welcome to our September blog, and as we all start (in the UK at least!) to think about adding a few layers for warmth, we’d like to talk about getting naked! Well, to be more specific, getting bra’s off. Fact: Women are dying because bystanders are less likely to carry out CPR on women than men. Research shows that women are 27% less likely to receive CPR than men and if a defibrillator is used, their chance of survival is affected by bra’s being left on. Most of us have never had the chance to train using a female manikin. The #BraOffDefibOn campaign aims to address the inequality in CPR for women and we’re supporting it.

Dr. Will Duffin - Joint Medical Director WEM

by Rachel Smith • 4 September 2024
In August, we brought you a Guest Blog from Mark Hannaford, the founder of World Extreme Medicine. This month, it’s the turn of another of the key WEM faculty members… introducing Dr Will Duffin. Hello everyone, I’m Dr Will Duffin and I’m a GP in Devon in the UK. I’m the Joint Medical Director of World Extreme Medicine (WEM) and the Lead Medic for the US CBS TV show ‘Survivor’ - for Seasons 43, 44, 46 and 48, which is also through WEM. Extreme Medicine is healthcare that is delivered across the full spectrum of remote, austere and challenging environments. This includes high mountains, deep oceans, jungles, deserts, polar, low earth orbit and refugee camps… the list is endless. Being a part of the wider Extreme Medicine community through WEM has been a portal into new worlds of possibility and opportunity in my medical career as an NHS GP. It’s a huge privilege to treat patients in a remote setting. You get to do proper ‘hands on’ medicine that truly tests your clinical skills, risk management and decision making. Even basic techniques and principles done well can transform patient outcomes. That’s the big reward. I graduated from Bristol Medical School in 2008 and completed my GP Training in Cornwall, UK in 2016. In between, I spent 18 months in Australia to gain as much emergency department experience as I could, whilst doing Wilderness Medicine Courses. I landed my first expedition gig 12 years ago when I was post-FY2 (Foundation Years follow on after qualifying as a doctor). I covered a Kilimanjaro Trek after another doctor dropped out at the last minute. Once I had this under my belt, I was able to leverage this experience to get the next trip. So, I soon found myself providing regular medical cover for various commercial and charity sector expeditions. These expeditions have taken me all over the world: Kilimanjaro, the Peruvian Andes, the Himalayas, Northern China, Eastern Europe, Myanmar and Madagascar. One highlight was working as the private doctor for a Luxury Trans-Siberian Train! Though I became frustrated having to constantly wrangle annual leave to go away, so I made the switch to being a freelance (locum) GP, which has given me the flexibility I need. I joined WEM in 2018 after responding to a Facebook Ad for the ‘Survivor’ job. I was invited to a selection weekend in the Peak District, which is when I first met Mark Hannaford WEM founder and CEO and Dr Joe Rowles, WEM’s other Medical Director, and it all went on from there. Early on, I was given the opportunity to lead on the content for the annual World Extreme Medicine Conference and our various podcasts and webinars. Through doing this, I have met a colourful cast of characters; other extreme medics who are as audacious as they are inspirational! We have a lot of fun at the conference every year, learning from one another. https://worldextrememedicine.com/registration/wem-conference-2024 (Note from the RSM team – the conference is highly recommended and well worth a visit!)

Mark Hannaford - Founder and CEO of World Extreme Medicine

by Rachel Smith • 5 August 2024
Last year, the Red Square Medical team descended on the World Extreme Medicine (WEM) conference for the very first time. We’d been aware of this unique organisation for many years, but just not had the chance to get involved. Liz was involved in a panel discussion and spoke at the conference, and we came away literally buzzing with enthusiasm - our first impressions were that WEM is a place with no ego’s, where everyone wants to learn, and is willing to share. We met some of the most fascinating people ever and can’t wait to go back this year. But what about the person who started it all… We spoke to Mark Hannaford, founder of World Extreme Medicine and its far reaching impact. Here’s what he had to say. I’ve been involved in expeditions, working in low resource environments and extreme medicine for the past three decades! My family was made up of generations of seafarers from Cornwall although I was brought up variously in Devon, Antigua in the Caribbean and the Middle East; reflecting my father’s job as a Master Mariner. My father was at one time the youngest captain aboard the UK’s largest registered vessel, and my grandfather was Harbour Master for Malta and the first in that role in Plymouth at the start of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. I wear a number of hats but primarily I am the founder and CEO of World Extreme Medicine, and the annual WEM Conference. I also founded the MSc in Extreme Medicine at the University of Exeter and Graduate Certificate program at Bouvré College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston.

Women's Health

by Rachel Smith • 3 July 2024
Women’s health is a huge topic, while it’s true that in the maritime sector women make up just 2% of seafarers at sea, up to 34% of the shore based staff are female. Looking at the bigger picture, women’s health directly affects just under half of our population globally, and indirectly (whether you like it or not!) the other half, we thought it was worth a blog about some of the issues, and the taboo’s, that could be affecting our maritime workforce and the women in our lives. It's common knowledge that women experience huge hormonal changes at puberty and menopause, both of which can have significant physical and mental health impacts. In the UK, there is a growing discussion and openness about peri-menopause (the years before periods stop altogether) and how for some women, this has devastating effects across all aspects of their lives, including work. Of course men experience changes at puberty, but their later life changes are less significant and generally don’t affect their ability to work. In December 2023 the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a statement to advise that every year, at least 40 million women are likely to experience a long term health problem caused by childbirth. So there’s a good chance that we all know one or more women affected, or if you are female… this could be you. As part of a special series on maternal health, the study showed a high burden of postnatal conditions that persist in the months and years after giving birth. These issues include more than a third of women experiencing pain during intercourse, urinary incontinence (8-31%), anal incontinence (19%), anxiety (9-24%), depression (11-17%), perineal pain (11%), a fear of childbirth (6-15%) and secondary infertility (11%). All in all it doesn’t paint a great picture of life after childbirth for some women. If any of your workers experience these issues, either on or off shore, it could have a significant impact on areas of their working life and it’s something they may be reluctant to open up about. Even before childbirth, we may take it for granted that contraception is available, certainly in the developed world. But in developing countries where sexual violence is not uncommon, contraception is considered lifesaving due to the high level of unsafe abortions carried out. Around 13 million women (and girls) under 20 give birth annually and complications in the pregnancy and birth is a leading cause of death. Consequently abortion is an option, but this carries its own huge risks.

Guest Blog - Wendy Sullivan

by Rachel Smith • 25 June 2024
We just love speaking to and finding out more about the people who inspire us and we guarantee that this month’s blog will not disappoint! We first got in touch with Wendy Sullivan via LinkedIn and thought she seemed like a pretty awesome human. Wendy and her company, Maritime Medical Solutions in Australia, certainly share the same outlook as Red Square Medical. Fast forward a couple of years and we’re now collaborating on a project in Australia and the Pacific Islands. What we’ve learnt along the way is simply fascinating and Wendy has kindly agreed to share her story with us… Here is Wendy’s Guest Blog: I was born in Canada, grew up in Africa and now call Australia my home. I feel lucky to live in paradise where the weather allows us to be on the water year-round. I had to work hard to gain my Australian citizenship and I credit my work in the marine industry with giving me a pathway to stay in Australia permanently. It took years of hard work and uncertainty to gain my residency and is still one of the achievements I am most proud of. I started sailing in Canada and since emigrating to Australia gained my professional and commercial qualifications as a vessel master, marine engine driver, trainer and assessor. I also have a Diploma of Paramedical Science, ship masters medical qualifications, business administration and development and there is still so much more to come.

Safety of Lives at Sea

by Rachel Smith • 17 June 2024
Working at sea can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling careers. But you can’t gloss over the fact that it can be dangerous. Whether you’re working on a tanker, ploughing up and down the oceans, a Superyacht enjoying a busy season of charters, or any vessel in between; our love/hate relationship buddy Neptune takes no prisoners! The Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS) Convention in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant and other vessels. The first version was adopted in 1914, in response to the Titanic disaster, and went through several iterations up to 1974. The Convention in force today is generally referred to as SOLAS 1974, as amended. SOLAS regulations cover all areas of safety at sea, including construction, fire prevention and detection, life saving equipment, cargo carriage, navigation, communications and a host of other areas. Regulation 33 of the SOLAS Convention applies to all ships, and places an obligation on Masters to respond to distress calls at sea and proceed ‘with all speed’ to their assistance. Anyone working in the maritime sector, hopes that they are never on the receiving end of this regulation, but we’ve experienced two quite different instances, where the ships we work with have responded and our Medical teams have played an important part in rendering aid.

Telemedicine - access to a healthcare professional

by Rachel Smith • 29 May 2024
This week’s blog is an introduction to telemedicine as although it’s probably been around for longer than you think, you might not be familiar with what’s available to help you. So whether you’re a leisure sailor taking on the ARC; work in commercial shipping, spend your time on a Superyacht, or anything in between, read on for more information… According to the UKs National Institute for Clinical Excellence, (NICE: https://www.nice.org.uk/), ships being on the water for months at a time mean that health can be a life-threatening challenge for sailors and seafarers. Access to healthcare providers has always been one of the most critical issues for offshore crews and it’s worth remembering that the International Labour Organization (ILO), dictates that access to medical treatments and health services should be guaranteed to seafarers in the same way as for people working ashore. Nowadays, telemedicine technology has emerged to improve healthcare delivery in many remote areas where there is no direct access to healthcare services using telecommunication services. Among them, maritime Telemedical Assistance Services (TMAS) have become more readily available and are now considered an integral part of a shipowner's emergency response operations. The advent and uptake of Starlink in both the commercial and leisure sectors can only be a positive from a medical perspective. So, what is Telemedicine? What does it do and how does it work? Telemedicine is a term that’s becoming more and more common in the maritime world. Quite simply, it is the provision of remote clinical services, via real-time two-way communication between the onboard medic (trained crew or healthcare professionals) and/or the patient themselves, and a shore-based healthcare professional, using electronic audio and visual means. The modern history of Telemedicine can be traced back as far as 1905, when a Dutch physician used long distance transfer of ECGs (electrocardiograms) to be read remotely. But as early as the 1920s onwards, radio communications were being used to pass medical information to patients at sea on ships and on remote islands. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought Telemedicine to the forefront of healthcare. Though we may not easily recognise what it actually is, the majority of GPs (certainly in the UK) and other allied healthcare professionals in the non-acute world, such as Physiotherapists and Mental Health support, have relied heavily on telephone and video consultations since March 2020. A survey conducted by Nautilus International and Martek Marine (2017) showed that a staggering 98% of seafarers believed that greater access to Telemedicine support would save lives at sea. Of those questioned, 68% had been on a vessel that was forced to divert due to a medical emergency and 70% had been on a vessel where there had been a medical evacuation. Emergencies experienced at sea ranged from severed limbs and broken bones, to gunshot wounds, tropical diseases, allergic reactions and sudden cardiac arrest. Whether you’re a commercial seafarer or leisure sailor, it would improve confidence in making a decision on whether an injury, or illness was severe enough to warrant a diversion, or evacuation, if there was a trained medic on the end of the phone or radio. Ever improving communications also means that we can now go far beyond voice calls. Photos of injuries, files of test results and even live streaming is all possible and helps to provide a much more indepth service. Our own team member, Rachel, received Telemedicine support via SatPhone and email, on a 7 metre Ocean Rowing Boat (yes, you did read that right!) in the middle of the Atlantic, when her rowing partner developed a painful injury. Remote intervention from a Doctor onshore helped to maximise use of the medical kit contents for the short and long term, rule out immediate worries of infection, and develop a pain management plan for the rest of the rowing race. One in five commercial ships a year are forced to divert for a medical emergency, with unknown numbers of other, non-commercial vessels on top. So there is also consideration for the cost and time involved, plus the stress to both the patient, and their medic who is managing a situation onboard, possibly alone!

Guest blog: Jordan Lin

by Rachel Smith • 8 May 2024
At Red Square Medical, we’re keen to support those who have a passion for maritime medicine. While we can’t provide placements for everyone, occasionally a request pops up at just the right time and we can provide some experience and insight into our unique and specialised world. Last year we were contacted by Jordan Lin, a medical student with a love of the ocean. This is his story… When I was a boy, my dad and I used to go fishing with a local fisherman off the Norfolk coast. I absolutely loved being on the sea and so for quite a long time, I wanted to be a fisherman. When I got a bit older I kind of forgot about this and think I may have been slightly put off by watching the TV series ‘World’s Deadliest Catch’! But I have always loved being on the water and spent a lot of time sailing dinghies; I was also a swimming teacher for children back in high school and college. Later, I decided to study medicine and I’m now a final year medical student at the University of Bristol where I completed an intercalated degree; a Masters in Health Sciences Research. I’m now looking forward to starting work as a qualified Doctor in August. Though having spent 6 years training, my next 2 years will be spent working for the required two foundation training years that must be completed before being able to work independently as a Doctor in the UK. At university, I joined the VITA network which is a group dedicated to developing a health and public health approach at the heart of any response to human trafficking and exploitation. I became the blog coordinator for the organisation and you can read the blogs, including those that I have written, here: https://vita-network.com/blog/ In my spare time, I have been involved with the Bristol University Hot Air Ballooning Society and trained through the society to get my Balloon pilots licence. So, I often spend weekends during the summer flying in a leisurely fashion over Bristol and the surrounding area!
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