We recently hired a team of Medical Coordination Specialists to staff the Global Coordination Center (GCC) at our Seattle headquarters. The GCC is dedicated to providing immediate, real-time medical assistance to clients in remote locations via telemedicine. Our new Medical Coordination Specialists bring a diverse set of medical experience to RMI, and they will play a crucial role in providing support for RMI CONNECT™ members. Peter Richards (above) shares the personal and professional experiences that led him to become a contributing member of the RMI team.
As the grandson of a surgeon and a nurse, and the son of a x-ray technologist and a physical therapist, Peter is no stranger to the medical field. He grew up fascinated by what he describes as “the intricacy of medicine” and looked forward to choosing a career where he could make an impact. His desire to help others led Peter to accept an invitation from a Nepali guide to visit the Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa after a trek attempt to Everest’s Camp 3. As a budding photographer, Peter returned from Nepal with deepened motivation to pursue photography on an international scale.
In 2009, he moved to Tanzania for a six-month stint as an independent photographer where he polished his business skills by consulting for several local businesses including a Kilmanjaro climbing company. With the goal of writing a book about orphanages, Peter also served as a medical volunteer at an orphanage where he managed care for eighty small children.
As Peter built his photography portfolio and gained medical experience, he began to fully understand the importance of remote medical skills. “If things went sideways while I was in a remote area,” said Richards, “I would have been in some serious trouble. That’s one reason why I decided to become a WEMT.”
In 2010, Peter enrolled in an RMI WEMT course. “I wanted to check out the Pacific Northwest, and I was also looking for the best [medical training] company I could find, “said Richards. “Fortunately, those two things lined up when I found RMI.”
Shortly after obtaining his WEMT, Peter began working as an Expedition Leader & Instructor for National Geographic. Averaging two trips per summer, Peter leads high school students on international expeditions and teaches them photography. He has put his WEMT to use several times by responding to medical incidents ranging from a concussion to a diabetic emergency.
In the span of a few years, Peter’s world has come full circle. As a Medical Coordination Specialist, Peter will rely on his travel and medical experience as he responds to telemedicine calls in the Global Coordination Center.
“I love how everyone in the office works together,” he said. “People here are very dedicated to what they do, but they still manage to have fun and interact together. It’s a healthy and fun atmosphere.”
Given the Monday, June 17 launch of RMI CONNECT, it’s also a busy one. Peter and his fellow Medical Coordination Specialists are looking forward to being the eyes and ears of RMI’s global telemedicine service. Please join us in welcoming our newest members to the team!
