What does it take to deliver critical care hundreds of kilometres from the nearest hospital? In this episode of The Round Up, host A/Prof Elissa Hatherly is joined by Dr Dean Taylor, a retrieval medicine specialist and medical education lead with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) in Queensland.

Dr Taylor shares the realities of working in aeromedical retrieval across rural and remote Australia—from the challenges of wet season landings to triaging patients with limited resources. He explores the vital roles of communication, teamwork, and preparation, and highlights the coordination efforts of Retrieval Services Queensland.

Whether you're a clinician interested in retrieval medicine or simply curious about the logistics of outback healthcare, this episode offers a compelling look into one of the most demanding fields in medicine.

Resources:

Royal Flying Doctors Service: https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/

Royal Flying Doctors Service - Emergency: https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/emergency/

Requirement for credentialling in Queensland for retrieval medicine; the first four are required for entry into the field. Six months at registrar level in each of:

• Intensive Care
• Anaesthesia
• Emergency Medicine
• Paediatrics (or mixed Emergency Medicine Experience)
• Pre-Hospital and Retrieval Medicine experience
• (Obstetrics and Gynaecology – preferred for RFDS.)