It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 30 years since I left BGS (Girls), but looking back, it’s clear that some of the seeds for my career were planted long before I knew where life would take me. I was the second girl to join the Boys school CCF and I had to do some serious convincing to be allowed! Being part of the school cadets was one of those pivotal influences and it sparked something inside me that led me into a career in the Royal Air Force.

After school, I headed to the University of Sheffield, completing degrees in Biomedical Science and Medicine, before joining the RAF as a medical cadet. Once I had qualified as a doctor and completed Foundation training, I went to the RAF College at Cranwell from where I graduated in 2011, beginning what has turned into an incredibly varied and rewarding career as both a doctor and an officer.

I completed general practice training in 2014 and since then have had the privilege of working across the world in roles that have been as challenging as they have been fulfilling. Operational deployments have taken me to the Middle East, Africa, and beyond—including supporting humanitarian relief efforts after Hurricane Irma and the Indonesian tsunami, establishing medical support for helicopter operations in austere environments like Mali and when in Iraq in 2020 finding myself the senior doctor for British Forces in the region as the COVID pandemic hit.

Other highlights have been working with deployed aeromedical teams, safely escorting patients back to the UK from around the world, supporting major international exercises in places like Las Vegas, Hawaii and Guam, and spending winters in the Arctic with the Commando Helicopter Force where I had to undertake arctic cold weather training. These experiences really brought to life the sense of adventure that first drew me to the cadets all those years ago.

More recently, I’ve moved into senior leadership roles—leading medical planning for major RAF operations, completing Advanced Command and Staff training, and even stepping into command of a large joint medical unit. I am now the RAF’s Medical Force Commander and am responsible for the RAF’s operational medical capabilities ensuring our medical personnel are trained and ready to deploy on global operations, the global aeromedical evacuation pathway, the RAF medical reserves and assure medical risk for all activity that the RAF undertakes; from adventure training to war fighting.

It’s been an incredible journey—challenging at times, but deeply rewarding. And it all started with the opportunities and inspiration from the experience I had with the BGS CCF. I am certain that had I not had that opportunity all those years ago, I wouldn’t have ended up where I am today.