Performing under pressure

Dr Stephen Hearns
Dr Stephen Hearns explains how a career as a helicopter rescue doctor led him to study the effects of pressure and inspired his mission to help fellow doctors swim rather than sink.
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The pressure on us is huge. There is the constant anxiety about becoming unwell because of our exposure to infected patients.

We need people to feel safe to speak up...we are getting there but there is still a long way to go.

This page was correct at publication on 12/03/2021. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.

Dr Stephen Hearns

Stephen Hearns is a consultant in emergency medicine for Scotland's Emergency Medical Retrieval Service, which delivers pre-hospital critical care. He led the establishment of the service from a small voluntary group to a government-funded organisation after being inspired by his experiences working with London's air ambulance, and in Queensland Australia. Stephen is an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow and acts as a medico-legal expert for a range of organisations, including the GMC and procurator fiscal. He writes and speaks on performance in high-pressure situations and provides advice to a wide range of commercial and government organisations.&nbsp;His book, <a href=\"https://corecognition.co.uk/peak-performance-book\" target=\"_blank\">Peak Performance Under Pressure: Lessons from a Helicopter Rescue Doctor</a> was published in 2019.&nbsp;</p><p>In addition to his aeromedical retrieval role, Stephen volunteers with Arrochar mountain rescue team and has been the medical officer on seven international expeditions.