FRRHH Fellows
Meet FRRHH's Inaugural Fellows
The Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare (FRRHH) is proud to introduce and showcase its first Members and Fellows.
The FRRHH Membership and Fellowship awards professionalises and recognises the excellence of healthcare professionals working within the field of remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare.
The inaugural Members and Fellows have displayed exceptional dedication and expertise, embodying the spirit of the Faculty's mission to elevate the standards of healthcare in remote and challenging environments. Meet the Members here.
To learn more about our Inaugural Fellows, click on their profiles below.
Mr Jay Evans
Occupation: COO Interactive Health Ltd. Research Fellow University of Edinburgh/Senior Teaching Fellow Imperial College London
Countries where I practice my profession: UK/USA/Mexico/Malaysia/Nepal/Honduras/Brazil/Paraguay
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Developed and deployed ANC/PNC coordination system for CHWs using structured SMS in Nepal. Currently one of the largest ANC digital health projects in Asia that is directly funded via the communities it serves.
Currently working with state governments in Chihuahua/Coahuila/Durango in Mexico on deployment of a similar system in very remote First Nations communities .
What Fellowship means to me personally:
The College and Faculty bring much needed support to those engaged in serving communities in remote, rural and last mile environments. It is a tremendous resource for anyone who wishes to serve those communities and learn from best practice.
Dean Aebhric O’Kelly
Occupation: Dean Emeritus, College of Remote and Offshore Medicine Foundation
Countries where I practice my profession: Malta, Germany, Tanzania, Ghana, Ukraine
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Created the College of Remote and Offshore Medicine Foundation and got it accredited as a degree-granting institution
What Fellowship means to me personally:
The Fellowship signifies extensive experience and training in a chosen discipline and the ability to teach this topic.
Professor Andrew John Dickenson
Occupation: Chief Dental Officer, Welsh Government; former Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon; Visiting Professor University of Chester
Countries where I practice my profession: Wales and England
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Board member, National Centre of Rural Health & Care
Author, 'Rural & Coastal Transformation: Developing health, care and communities through workforce, education, and training in small places'
Visiting Professor of Rural Health & Social Care, University of Chester
What Fellowship means to me personally:
As a Fellow of the College for nearly 30 years, I am delighted to have been invited to join this innovative Faculty. Having been closely involved with workforce planning and health service delivery for rural and dispersed populations I look forward to supporting the development of the Faculty as it cements the College's global reputation for advancing healthcare excellence.
Miss Josette Morrison
Occupation: Occupational Health Nurse / Paramedic: Head Nurse Occupational Health Unit International Criminal Court
Countries where I practice my profession: The Hague but travel mostly to Asia or Africa (Bangladesh, Uganda, DRC Congo, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and Central African Republic) and most recently Ukraine.
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
FRRHH Education, Capabilities and Accreditation Work Stream Lead
As executive committee member and as joint clinical lead on the FRRHH Capabilities Framework it has been my privilege to be involved in the development of the FRRHH. Already a member of its predecessor The Institute of Remote Healthcare it was with great delight and sense of achievement to witness the official launch of the much awaited Faculty in 2018. I look forward to the launch of the capability framework which will define, review and set standards to improve remote rural and humanitarian healthcare globally. Read more >
What Fellowship means to me personally:
During the past 16 years my professional and personal time has focused on improving the health outcomes of those living and working in austere environments. It has encompassed and enriched both my working career and personal growth. Having received the award of fellowship in recognition and acknowledgement of this work is truly inspiring. Now my main aim for the future is to have the work of my fellow remote healthcare colleagues living and working in remote areas recognised for their achievements, their dedication and steadfastness. I look forward to many more Nurses, Paramedics and healthcare professionals receive the award of fellowship or membership to the faculty in the near future.
Dr Joseph Cuthbertson
Occupation: General Manager Clinical and Operational Excellence
Countries where I practice my profession: South East Asia
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Humanitarian Health Care and Disaster management training in South East Asia
What Fellowship means to me personally:
Fellowship to me offers the opportunity to collaborate internationally in the development and improvement of disaster and emergency health practice through education, service and research to protect and respond to communities in need.
Dr Edward Watts
Occupation: General surgeon, Head of Surgery at Hopitaly Vaovao Mahafaly, Mandritsara, Madagascar. Program Director, PAACS General Surgery Program at Hopitaly Vaovao Mahafaly, Mandritsara, Madagasca
Country where I practice my profession: Madagascar
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
I am a UK trained consultant surgeon with six years of experience working full time as a volunteer in a remote and rural hospital in northern Madagascar. I hold a senior leadership position within the hospital, and am the director of an NGO which works alongside Malagasy partners to deliver healthcare to a region of over 300,000 people.
I am the founder and program director of Madagascar’s first COSECSA approved surgical residency program. I have experience of collaborating with other organisations providing humanitarian aid, and working alongside the government to improve healthcare in our region and beyond.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
I’m honoured to be recognised in this way, and excited to see what can be achieved through the Faculty in the future.
Mr Andrew W Kent OBE
Occupation: Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon
Countries where I practice my profession: Recent humanitarian missions in Ukraine, Malawi and Gaza.
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
NHS work in Scotland (Inverness)
Humanitarian work worldwide
Vice-Chair of FRRHH
Surgical lead for UK-Med
Medical board member for The HALO Trust
Surgical advisor for the WHO Surgical Working Group on trauma
What Fellowship means to me personally:
Being awarded this Fellowship by the RCSEd is, of course, a great personal honour but, more importantly, means I am now part of a team whose goal is to encourage many more healthcare workers to follow a career in humanitarian healthcare.
Dr Glenn McKay
Occupation: Managing Director, Medical Rescue Group
Country where I practice my profession: Australia
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Dr McKay has been providing deployable health and aeromedical evacuation services across the Indo Pacific region for more than a decade. As Managing Director of the Medical Rescue Group based in Australia, he oversees the deployment of healthcare teams in support of mining, defence, and other government organisations that require medical resources in remote and austere environments. The Group's aeromedical operations, enable repatriation of injured and unwell patients from the Indo Pacific mostly to Australia for tertiary level care.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
I am delighted to have been awarded Fellowship to the Faculty of Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare. Fellowship provides further an opportunity to meet likeminded clinicians, the sharing of ideas, and the opportunity for collaboration.
Dr Tim Sanders
Occupation: General Practitioner. Senior Clinical Lecturer in Remote and Rural Medicine and Urgent Care, National Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine, University of Central Lancashire. Clinical Training Lead, Cumbria Health. Doctor, Penrith Mountain Rescue Team.
Country where I practice my profession: United Kingdom
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Editor, 'Rural Healthcare (2nd Edition)' – Routledge
Senior Clinical Lecturer in Remote and Rural Medicine
Course Lead for UCLan MSc in Rural Medicine
Course Lead for UCLan MSc in Urgent Care
Course Lead for UCLan MSc in Mountain Medicine
What Fellowship means to me personally:
As a GP who has worked in rural settings for all my professional career so far, combined with my past work in GP clinical education, recruitment and retention and my current university and clinical academic roles, I am really proud of what I have achieved. Fellowship of the FRRHH provides me with a sense of professional belonging, and valuable recognition of my achievements in a time when the delivery of high-quality clinical care is challenging.
Maj. Paul Dhillon
Occupation: Canadian Rural Family/Emergency Physician, 39 Brigade Surgeon, Canadian Armed Forces (Reserves)
Country where I practice my profession: Canada
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Ebola Physician, Falkland Islands, Antarctica Marathon Physician, Expedition Medicine (Everest Base Camp/Kilimanjaro), Military activity in the high arctic and desert environments.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
As a Canadian rural physician, the Fellowship of The Faculty of Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare represents an invaluable community of support, knowledge, and others that care about provision of care in the same environments that I do.
This empowers me to enhance healthcare delivery in my community, bridging the gap between isolated areas and the forefront of medical innovation and practice.
Ms Martine Scott
Occupation: Programme Manager
Country where I practice my profession: Scotland
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
In addition to her professional role as Programme Manager in the multiple workstreams of the NHS Highland ‘Being Here’ pilot project and the Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative (SRMC) she has worked on a voluntary basis to ensure the growth and sustainability for the British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS Scotland) which delivers specialist training for pre-hospital care in the UK.
Martine has also helped on a voluntary basis to transform the Rural GP Association of Scotland (RGPAS) into a professional organisation, supporting rural and remote general practice. She has played a leading role since 2017 in organising their annual conferences, in transforming the membership administration system and support for members, in leading an application for charitable status, and in supporting the committee in generating proposals for funding. She was a strong driving force in highlighting non-political areas impeding recruitment and retention, generating solutions relating to advertising, interviewing, reducing bureaucracy, as well as being involved in the creation of the highly successful ‘Rediscover the Joy of General Practice’ initiative. During this time, she became a member of the 'Rethinking Remote' working group, delivering a highly successful international conference as well as supporting collaborative work across agencies in supporting rural health in Scotland.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
I'm absolutely delighted to receive this Fellowship. I feel very humbled that my contribution has been identified as worthy of such a recognition.
Professor Grant McIntyre
Occupation: Consultant / Professor in Orthodontics
Country where I practice my profession: United Kingdom
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
A key part of my clinical practice is focused on providing orthodontic care to remote and island communities in Scotland and my Faculty of Dental Surgery roles in RCSEd involve developing global oral health through education, examination and engagement.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
I am delighted to be part of FRRHH as a key part of our College activity relates to transforming lives across all global communities irrespective of geography or circumstances and as my career develops, I would like to contribute to the global health and wellbeing agenda.
Dr Kevin Kei Ching Hung
Occupation: Associate Professor, Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Co-Director, Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC).
Country where I practice my profession: Hong Kong SAR
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
I worked with a group of international experts in the research area of workforce development strategy in health emergency and disaster risk management (Health EDRM) funded by the WHO Centre for Health Development.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
Joining The Faculty of Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare connects me with a group of experts in the UK and beyond, I truly value the networking and collaborating opportunities it brings.
Professor Aristomenis Exadaktylos
Occupation: Professor, Chairman and Director
Department of Emergency Medicine
University Hospital Bern
Vice Dean Medical School University of Bern
Country where I practice my profession: Switzerland
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Immediate Co-President Swiss Society of Emergency and Rescue Medicine
Patron African Federation of Emergency Medicine
Ambassador South African Red Cross Air Mercy Service
ICAR - International Commission for Alpine Rescue
Founder Center of Excellence in Emergency Medicine (financial support for emergency, rural, remote and humanitarian physicians from low income countries)
Humanitarian, Refugee and Migration Medicine Research Unit Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Bern
What Fellowship means to me personally:
This Fellowship stands as a testament to my dedication to overcoming barriers in healthcare for the underserved, inspired by Nelson Mandela's belief that 'It always seems impossible until it's done.' It embodies my commitment to transforming the landscapes of remote, rural, and humanitarian healthcare, proving that with determination and international collaboration, we can achieve the once thought impossible.
Dr Connor Gamble
Occupation: GP Partner - Tweeddale Medical Practice, Fort William. Associate Advisor for GP Training - North of Scotland Deanery
Country where I practice my profession: Scotland
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
I am a GP partner at Tweeddale Medical Practice in Fort William in the Scottish Highlands and, in my role as an Associate Advisor, I am involved with education for GP Trainees on the Caledonian and Rural Track training programmes. In addition to this I am also involved in the Rural Fellowship programme, which gives qualified GPs the opportunity to work in rural locations in Scotland, I contribute to this programme by arranging educational meetings. Alongside my core GP work I also undertake Out of Hours work in Fort William, covering a large geographical area of largely rural communities, I also undertake locum work at other rural GP practices.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
I am grateful to have received this recognition from the Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare, which represents an area of particular interest for me which has shaped my career decisions. I hope to be able to contribute in a meaningful way to the future provision of medical services to these groups through ongoing association with and contribution to the Faculty.
Dr Zubaida Sirang
Occupation: Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon & Head of Ophthalmology Services, Aga Khan Health Service Pakistan
Country where I practice my profession: Pakistan
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
After obtaining post-graduation in surgical ophthalmology from Dublin, Dr. Sirang made a conscious decision to return to her homeland to battle blindness in the underserved and rural area of Northern Pakistan. She went on to establish cutting-edge ophthalmology services in the underprivileged regions of Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral under the Aga Khan Health Service Pakistan. Dr. Sirang pioneered the implementation of a hub-and-spoke model in Ophthalmology in Pakistan, dedicating the past few years to combating blindness in the underserved regions.
Through collaborations with the local and international NGOs, she and her team have conducted several free screening ophthalmology clinics and cataract surgeries for the deserving population in the far flung and remote villages. To date, thousands of patients have benefited from her initiatives across three main hubs and multiple sub-units in the rural areas of Northern Pakistan.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
I'm grateful and humbled to receive the Fellowship in the Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. It signifies my commitment to serving underserved communities and making a tangible difference in people's lives.
Dr Craig Stark
Occupation: Regional Medical Director, Crisis24
Countries where I practice my profession: United States and Global
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Over the past 20 years, Dr. Stark has dedicated his medical career to supporting patients in remote and rural locations. He currently works as the Regional Medical Director for Crisis24, a global security and medical risk management firm, where he provides leadership and support to a team of doctors, nurses and paramedical professionals across the globe. Previously, he served as the Chief Medical Officer for the Evercare Health Fund, a healthcare focused Impact Fund delivering affordable and quality medical care to underserved markets across Africa and South Asia. His responsibilities included oversight of 26 hospitals, 17 clinics and 32 diagnostic centres across 20 cities in India, Kenya, Pakistan and Nigeria. Prior to this, he deployed to Nepal where he helped design a healthcare system on behalf of the Gurkha Welfare Trust providing care to Gurkhas and their families living in some of the most austere locations in the country.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
For me, Fellowship provides a mechanism to bridge the gaps and standardize the delivery of global healthcare through compassionate leadership and collaborative efforts, ensuring that even the most remote and underserved communities have access to quality, cost-effective and sustainable healthcare.
Dr Zia Haider
Occupation: Public Health Specialist - special interest in primary healthcare, emergency healthcare, and disaster management
Countries where I practice my profession: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Delivered healthcare under challenging conditions, such as conflict, terrorism, and floods and heatwaves caused by climate change. Provided emergency primary healthcare in conflict zones and disaster areas, reaching underserved regions, while ensuring sustainable healthcare solutions for vulnerable communities.
In Saudi Arabia, contributed to efforts in quality improvement projects that have enhanced patient experiences and formulated strategic public health goals, including managing health programs targeting cancer, obesity, and maternal-child health.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
Being recognized as a Fellow is a profound honor that validates my lifelong dedication to improving healthcare access and quality in the most remote and underserved communities, embodying my commitment to compassion, innovation, and leadership in humanitarian healthcare.
Dr Richard Lowsby
Occupation: Doctor (Consultant in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine)
Country where I practice my profession: United Kingdom
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
I have been involved in emergency care capacity building, humanitarian response and health partnership work in Sierra Leone which began in 2015 towards the end of the Ebola epidemic and worked on emergency triage in Somaliland with King’s Global Health Partnerships.
I have deployed with UK-Med to Ukraine and to Turkiye as part of the UK Emergency Medical Team in response to the earthquake in 2023. I have served on the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s Global Committee since 2018 with the aim of strengthening emergency care systems in resource limited settings.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
It offers the opportunity to join a community of professionals that strive to improve the delivery of care to patients and develop standards in remote and humanitarian contexts.
Mr Kerryn Wratt
Occupation: Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Countries where I practice my profession: New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Kerryn has been highly engaged in a wide range of leadership and oversight roles in the remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare sector over the last 20+ years as a critical flight care paramedic, educator, manager, mentor and thought leader in areas as geographical diverse as Nepal, Africa, Papua New Guinea, Patagonia, the Arctic, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. In Australia Kerryn has contributed strongly to the establishment of a formal Paramedic Wilderness Response team across the entire State of Victoria, built a robust and effective ambulance response capacity in a remote high- country community, developed Wilderness, Tropical and Vertical Rescue Medicine training programs and has lead the establishment of the Australasian Wilderness and Expedition Medicine Society (AWEMS).
Kerryn’s contributions to rural, remote and humanitarian medicine have also been strong in Papua New Guinea where he lead the establishment of St John Papua New Guinea’s Ambulance Special Operations Team, developed and delivered medical education to Australian High Commission Staff in Buka, Bougainville and more recently delivering education to St John Papua New Guinea’s Aeromedical Retrieval team. Kerryn’s work over many years in Nepal is also notable having lead the delivery of the Basic Wilderness Life Support curriculum on the Annapurna Base Camp trek during the trekking seasons of 2017 and 2018 as well as volunteering with the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) at their medical clinical in Pheriche in 2020. Kerryn’s international contributions reach further through his membership of the Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT), his work delivering medical relief in remote areas of Kenya and Tanzania, his membership of Baptist World Aid’s Rescue24 International Disaster Response Team and his medical support of expeditions in the Arctic and across the Southern Patagonian Ice Cap.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
Fellowship with the Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare is truly humbling and a great encouragement to me personally to continue this important work to improve health outcomes in remote and rural areas of the world. I sincerely thank you for the opportunity and appreciate the wide support I have received.
Gp Capt (Dr) Kristian Mears
Occupation: Royal Air Force General Medical Practitioner and Flight Medical Officer
Countries where I practice my profession:
Wherever the sovereign posts or deploys me.
They have included, to date: USA, Falkland Islands, Ascension Island, Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, Afghanistan, Brunei, Philippines, Georgia, Cyprus, Italy, Croatia, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Holland, Iceland, Hungary, Gibraltar.
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Militarily I have undertaken many isolated activities (including aeromedical retrieval, medical response etc.) and assisted in furthering primary medical care, both training, and practicing in hostile environments worldwide.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
Fellowship is the pinnacle acknowledgement of my lifelong aim to improve the care to patients and staff in remote and arduous environments. Fellowship allows a benchmark of quality to be accredited in order that a body of professionals can role model for those who aspire to work in the challenging contexts that current Fellows practice.
Dr Tom Mallinson
Occupation: Prehospital Physician / Senior Lecturer
Countries where I practice my profession: Scotland and Malta
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Author of heat related illness clinical practice guidelines
What Fellowship means to me personally:
The Fellowship is a great way to highlight the importance of remote and rural communities and the practice of healthcare in austere environments.
Dr Emma J Watts
Occupation: GP Partner and Rural Advocate
Country where I practice my profession: England
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
I have worked in rural General Practice for 17 years. During this time, I have campaigned tirelessly to address the additional health inequalities faced by marginalised populations who live in rural areas. I have been a strong voice in support of the specific needs of dispensing doctors. I have contributed to inquiries by both the House of Commons & House of Lords, & have spoken on rural matters via national TV, radio and the press.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
I feel honored to be a founding fellow of a faculty that I feel is truly representative of my core values.
Dr Peter von Kaehne
Occupation: General Practitioner
Countries where I practice my profession: Scotland and Balkan Countries
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
I am a single-handed GP based in Argyll in the Highlands, where I cover a small practice and a larger area during OOH. I am active within LMC and other local fora to ensure equity of access for remote populations. Additionally, in my spare time I have worked mainly with Afghan refugees in refugee camps and clinics since 2016.
These two roles have a remarkable level of overlap - the need to prioritise, the need to make do with limited resources, the need to practice safely while lacking immediate access to investigations and much else. My particular interests in the latter context are to bring holistic medicine to a deeply traumatised population, to educate and to empower self-help and to raise awareness for the needs, medically and otherwise of this often-forgotten people.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
I am looking forward to learning and sharing with like-minded colleagues within the Faculty and the wider profession.
Dr Thomas A.H. Pols
Occupation: Country Health Manager at Shell Plc
Country where I practice my profession: Australia
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Dr Thomas Pols worked extensively as a clinician and manager in Remote and Humanitarian Healthcare, working as an emergency room physician in Aruba, in humanitarian emergencies with MSF in Pakistan, South Sudan and Sierra Leone, followed by work in remote site medicine with Shell Plc across the Middle East and Africa and more recently in Australia. In his various roles Thomas focused on improving access to care through training programs and the use of telemedicine.
What Fellowship means to me personally:
Receiving a Fellowship in Remote, Rural, and Humanitarian Healthcare humbles me and drives me to contribute even more effectively to the Faculty's mission, aiming to enhance healthcare access and equity in remote and rural areas through collaborative efforts.
Professor Darren Walter
Occupation: Clinical Professor of International Emergency Medicine/Honorary Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Countries where I practice my profession: UK, Uganda, Kenya
Noteworthy contributions to Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare:
Developing an emergency care system strategy in low-resource settings
Programme Director for a range of distance learning international health post-graduate degrees, including the MSc in Humanitarian Practice with MSF
What Fellowship means to me personally:
The Faculty is an opportunity to broaden thinking around sustainable emergency care capacity building in resource depleted environments.
