Andy Grieve BSc (Hons) BM BCh Dip Mtn Med FRGS RAF - Medic

Andy left home at 18, armed with a small rucksack, round-the-world ticket and his savings and headed to Australia. As soon as he arrived there, the wildness of the outback drew him in and he purchased an old Holden Commodore Estate. 12,000 km later he had circumnavigated the East portion of Australia, His love for overland travel had been born.

The first three years of medical school at UCL were a blur of lectures, but he had time to explore Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. Frequently he would either buy or hire motorbikes to explore these countries and sell them on at the end of the trips.

For his 3 years clinical training he was fortunate to win a place at Oxford University and was awarded a commission in the Royal Air Force. In addition to clinical training in New Zealand, the USA, East Africa and Switzerland he was fortunate to undertake a high-altitude research expedition to Nepal in conjunction with the Himalayan Rescue Association. His passion for pre-hospital, remote and wilderness medicine had been born. He founded and was President of the Oxford Wilderness Medical Society and oversaw the running of the 2003 International Student Wilderness Medicine conference.

In 2006, he entered the Landrover G4 challenge and represented the UK at the International Selections. Here he learned extreme off-road driving skills, vehicle recovery and mechanics and

Posted to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus for 18 months, he spent weekends and holidays exploring Northern Cyprus, Turkey, and Israel on his BMW GS1200 Adventure motorbike. For his 7-week honeymoon Andy and his wife rode 3500 miles back through Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and France.

Back in the UK he continues to specialise in wilderness medicine and pre-hospital care. Andy teaches lay expedition members medical skills and has researched cold injury and pre-hospital care analgesia. In July 2009 he left on a 3-week expedition to remote Eastern Uganda where, part of a 16 man team, he will help build an attendants shelter at Kumi District hospital. As one of three doctors on the team I will also provide primary care and immunization to the Kumi locals.