Rachel Jackson: from student to sky

Rachel has always known she wanted to make a positive impact and care for the people in her community.

Straight from school, she joined the third-ever cohort of the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science degree at ARU and 'never looked back!' From the beginning, Rachel understood the extraordinary reach of a paramedic career and set her sights firmly on the future.

While still a student at ARU in 2017, she volunteered at one of Magpas Air Ambulance’s Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) physician training courses.

There, she witnessed the remarkable clinical skill required to work for an air ambulance charity; delivering hospital-level treatments to the sickest patients, often in the most challenging conditions. That experience sparked a passion that would guide her for years to come.

Rachel continued supporting these training courses for almost a decade, gaining unique insight into what it takes to provide lifesaving care far beyond the capabilities of a standard ambulance. Every year she deepened her understanding of the charity and strengthened her desire to serve patients at their most critical moments.

After graduating, Rachel spent four years on the road as a paramedic before joining an urgent care advanced practice team with EEAST just one year after qualification, where she worked for two more years. 'That experience helped shape my clinical skills,' she explains, 'and led me to pursue Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine – ultimately bringing me to Magpas Air Ambulance.'

In 2025, after years of dedication, relentless hard work and a steadfast commitment to giving patients the very best chance before they reach hospital, Rachel achieved her dream: becoming one of Magpas Air Ambulance’s full-time critical care paramedics.

The selection process was as tough as it was competitive. 47 highly experienced paramedics applied. After intensive shortlisting, candidates completed a full day of structured, observed clinical exams (covering medical and trauma scenarios, media skills, fitness tests, and assessments in crew resource management and human factors). The top 5 finalists then underwent observer shifts and final interviews. Through every stage, Rachel distinguished herself.

Securing such a sought-after role was only the beginning. After joining the team, Rachel undertook the charity’s PHEM training course herself, excelling once again and quickly becoming an indispensable member of Magpas Air Ambulance. Since starting full-time in September 2025, she has already spent more than 400 hours on-call, ready at a moment’s notice to respond to emergencies across the region 24/7.

She has attended cardiac arrests, severe accidental injuries and life-threatening road traffic collisions; bringing advanced medical interventions directly to scenes where seconds truly matter. She has even assisted in airlifting a patient to the Royal London Hospital, landing on the helipad overlooking the city skyline… A moment symbolic of how far her dedication has taken her.

Rachel’s drive really has taken her to the sky. And having already joined advanced paramedics on shifts to see what the next step in her outstanding career could look like, there is no doubt: there is more to come.

Because when passion meets purpose, lives change. And Rachel is just getting started.