Meet Trainee Critical Care Doctor, Alex

Dr Alex Taylor is Great Western Air Ambulance Charity’s (GWAAC) newest Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) Trainee. Alex joined our clinical team on 5 August 2025 having come through GWAAC’s Access to PHEM programme which is run by our latest PHEM Trainees for doctors thinking about, or applying for, a career in PHEM. The programme helps break down perceived barriers to a career in PHEM and supports a more diverse generation of clinicians including females who have historically been under-represented in PHEM.

Alex says, "I had been attending events nationally and exploring a potential career in pre-hospital medicine, driven by a desire to learn how to provide the best care in low-resource environments. Yet, several of these events left me feeling like I didn’t fit the typical PHEM demographic.

The group at GWAAC emphasised that everyone brings something valuable to the table and were quick to highlight the strengths in my application.

Early in my journey, I wasn’t sure there was a place for me in PHEM. Now, I’m delighted to have joined GWAAC as a PHEM Trainee.”

From medical school to mountain summits

Alex brings enthusiasm and experience from both expedition medicine and emergency medicine. Originally from Newcastle, Alex studied medicine in Glasgow where she also completed her foundation years. She then spent 18 months working in New Zealand combining medicine with her love of adventure and the outdoors. On returning to the UK Alex set her sights on expedition medicine. She took a clinical fellow role at Bristol Royal Infirmary while studying for her Diploma in Expedition and Wilderness Medicine. For the next three years she balanced hospital work with expeditions around the world, often in remote and challenging environments:

“My expedition work took me to all seven continents — including Antarctica which had been a dream of mine. I’ve slept in hammocks in the Amazon, biked across Costa Rica and pulled pulks (a type of sled) across Greenland. The teams have always been what makes it.”

Alex began her emergency medicine training in Bristol, gaining valuable pre-hospital and community experience along the way including a hospital placement in rural South Africa. As her career progressed she found herself increasingly drawn to the challenge of making decisions under pressure in pre-hospital environments. She says, “Moving into PHEM felt like a really natural next step.”

Settling in: life at GWAAC for Alex

From the moment Alex joined GWAAC she felt welcomed: “The team are fantastic. Everyone’s so kind and down to earth. I love working in small teams in tricky environments and I learn something new every day. There are moments of imposter syndrome — but the team are great at reminding you they’ve all been there too.”

She says, “I already knew quite a few of the Doctors and Specialist Paramedics, and I’d always admired the atmosphere at GWAAC; it’s the sort of place that brings out the best in people. Everyone’s so supportive and you can’t help but be inspired by the team around you. The fact it’s my local air ambulance charity makes it even more special.”

A typical day for Alex at GWAAC depends on the type of shift she is doing. A day shift on the helicopter starts with a kit check, sorting medication, and a team briefing with the pilot. Next, they might grab a cup of tea before reviewing the previous shift’s cases and then there’s time for learning objectives or kit competencies unless they’re called out. In comparison a late shift is solely car based and so doesn’t require the Pilot briefing but Alex points out, “They’re no less busy, and different kinds of incidents happen in the evenings!”

Alex says, “You never know when the next job will come in, what it’ll be, or who you will meet. That unpredictability and trying to do the best for the patient in that moment with what you have is part of what makes the work so exciting.”

In October 2025 Alex passed her initial assessment — a major milestone for any PHEM Trainee. It means she can now work independently with a GWAAC Advanced Practitioner or Specialist Paramedic in Critical Care. Before that she could only attend call-outs if another Critical Care Doctor was with her.

Looking ahead Alex hopes to continue developing her skills in PHEM and to enjoy the journey as much as the destination: “I just want to make the most of it — the people, the teamwork, the variety of patients. I’d also love to do a bit more global health work in the future.”

Her inspiration? “Definitely my mum and dad,” she says. “My mum has this ‘seize the day’ attitude, and my dad is incredible — he still runs 5k in 21 minutes and he’s 71!”

Beyond the flight suit

Outside of work Alex recharges by getting outdoors with her dog; a wire-haired vizsla called Chester. She also loves hill walking in the Lake District with her partner and family— a shared passion that led her to complete her Summer Mountain Leader qualification. “Being out in nature just clears your head,” she says.

When asked what she might do if she wasn’t a doctor she said, “I like painting. When I thought I had to park the idea of medicine (I wasn’t great with blood at first!) I went to art college. But I only lasted three weeks — I spent most of the time watching episodes of House. A few months later I got into medical school!”

Some fun facts about Alex: “I once appeared in a Bollywood movie and when I was working in South Africa I qualified as a level-two snake handler so I could get rid of the snakes falling out of our thatch rooves!”

Her favourite things in life are: “My dog, a good adventure and Torres truffle crisps.” And her least favourite things are: “Making the bed, traffic and incivility.”

Alex likes both tea and coffee and applies some logic to her drinking habits: “I like a latte first thing, tea for the rest of the day, and a peppermint tea before bed to try and turn off a busy brain.”

When asked to describe herself in one word Alex said, “Hopefully… kind.”

We’re delighted to have Alex as part of the GWAAC team — and we’re excited to see what her journey brings next.