Each year we are joined by new doctors, to increase their knowledge of hyperbaric and diving medicine. This year we have Dr Ellie & Dr Jack – we asked them a few questions to get to know them better!
Dr Ellie has recently come down from the beautiful North York Moors to join us here at DDRC, to combine her interest in medicine and SCUBA diving. Ellie always wanted to be a doctor so she studied medicine in Scotland, before returning to Yorkshire. Most recently she worked in a rural GP practice where she was the doctor for the nuns and monks in the local abbeys! Ellie says that being a doctor really is the best job in the world, as she gets the reward of solving problems whilst also helping people through an illness. Outside of work you’ll find Ellie singing and playing the piano, or getting some fresh air hiking, swimming or SCUBA Diving. Ellie also practices yoga and hopes to qualify as an instructor soon. After learning to dive at Capernwray quarry she has gone on to dive in some amazing tropical locales – her favourite dive to date was during a conservation project in which she was surveying the Mesoamerican barrier reef, and below her in the depths was a huge Goliath Grouper! Ellie is passionate about marine conservation work and hopes to become more involved in this through the knowledge and experience she will gain here at DDRC.
Dr Jack is also a keen SCUBA diver and has been aware of DDRC for several years. As a junior anaesthetist he is excited to bring his experience in critical care medicine to DDRC, as there are lots of crossovers between the fields – such as physics and physiology, and working at isolated sites. Jack decided that he wanted to become a doctor after realising an office job wasn’t for him, and he valued the broad opportunities and training that the field of medicine could bring. After growing up in Essex Jack went on to study medicine in Sheffield. As a keen outdoorsman he then moved to the South West where he could take advantage of the beautiful countryside to enjoy his favourite activities like climbing, mountain biking, diving and kayaking.