This International Women’s Day (8 March 2025), the East Midlands Immediate Care Scheme (EMICS) celebrates two women in pre-hospital emergency medicine: Jean Cragg MBE, a pioneering paramedic and EMICS longest-standing female member, and Dr. Abigail Forsyth, the newest doctor to join the team.
Jean’s career began in 1978, at a time when female paramedics were nearly unheard of, she became Nottinghamshire’s first operational paramedic, and one of the pioneers on the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance. She remains a key figure in EMICS, supporting operations and assessing doctors on their blue light driving.
Jean said: “When I started, the ambulance service was entirely male-dominated. We had to work twice as hard to prove we belonged. I’m delighted to say now, the balance has changed.”
Abbi is a specialist doctor in anesthetics and critical care at Chesterfield Hospital. She joined EMICS to combine her passion for emergency medicine with her love of working outdoors. Unlike Jean, Abbi had strong female role models guiding her career.
Abbi said: “I’ve been fortunate to have incredible female mentors who showed me that it’s okay to break the mould. They taught me to pursue what interests me, even if it means stepping outside traditional expectations.”
Abbi’s passion for emergency medicine stems from her desire to provide critical care to those in their most vulnerable moments. She said: “This field allows you to offer life-saving care in some of the most environmentally challenging situations. That’s one of the things that makes it so rewarding.”
Sharing her perspective on the rewarding nature of the job, Jean said: “You never know what your day will hold when you sign on duty. You enter people’s lives on what to us is ‘another job’ could be the worst day that they’ve ever experienced. To bring some calm, some order, and obviously some very skilled treatments to benefit patients is incredibly rewarding.”
To women considering a career in emergency medicine, Abbi’s said: “Go for it, although you might have some challenges along the way, the rewards and satisfaction far outweigh these. Don’t let our gender limit your passions and career possibilities.”
As the world marks International Women’s Day, Abbi reminds us of its importance. She said: “It is a great opportunity to celebrate females in healthcare, and it also provides us with a pertinent reminder the gender inequalities do still exist and there is a lot that still needs to be done for gender equality and female empowerment.”
EMICS proudly stands behind women like Jean and Abbi—lifesavers and role models for the next generation.
Watch a video of the pair here.
