999 Calls.
Student Doctors.
Here for Cambridge.
University of Cambridge student doctors, responding to 999 emergencies across Cambridge as Community First Responders.Trained and dispatched by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, we attend a range of emergencies including cardiac arrest, chest pain, respiratory distress and seizure. We work alongside local ambulance crews to support the best possible care for our community.
OUR IMPACT —
Making a difference,
from day one.
Since Operational
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Active student volunteers
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Student doctors involved
WHAT WE DO —
Real emergencies.
Early support.
The Cambridge First Responder Society is a group of trained volunteers (all student doctors at the University of Cambridge) serving as an additional resource to the East of England Ambulance Service. Operating a dedicated Community First Responder vehicle based at Cambridge, equipped with specialist medical kit, our volunteers attend 999 calls across Cambridge and the surrounding area, providing emergency care in the critical minutes before an ambulance arrives.Our volunteers are trained and governed entirely by EEAST, working strictly within an established scope of practice and acting on behalf of the ambulance service at all times. This is an entirely extracurricular activity, separate from our studies, and undertaken voluntarily in our own time.We work closely with local ambulance crews on every call, ensuring the best possible care for every patient. Our volunteers bring a strong clinical foundation to their role, and we are proud of the relationships we are building with the crews we work alongside.
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Independently funded
Running costs, our vehicle, and additional kit, are covered through donations and fundraising
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On behalf of EEAST
Dispatched, trained and governed by the ambulance service
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Attend 999 calls
Responding across Cambridge and the surrounding area
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First on scene when it matters
Arriving before ambulance crews to assess, stabilise and begin care
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Time-critical emergencies
Cardiac arrest, stroke, seizures and many more
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Initial clinical care
Assessment, observations, treatment, reassurance and escalation
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Dedicated response vehicle
Based in Cambridge, equipped with emergency kit
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Alongside ambulance crews
Working as part of the wider team to support patient care
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Community supported
Community support enables us to maintain the vehicle, equipment and ongoing response
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Trained by EEAST
Operating strictly within an established scope of practice
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Student doctors
Volunteering alongside full-time medical training
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Flexible response shifts
Self-booked shifts covering local demand
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Dispatched by EEAST
Activated by ambulance control to respond to 999 calls
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Volunteers
Giving up their free time to support patients in the local community
Cardiac arrest
First on scene
CPR, defibrillator use, ventilation and airway support.
Chest pain
First on scene
Focused history taking, observations and reassurance.
Respiratory distress
First on scene
Assessment, ventilation and observations.
Stroke
First on scene
FAST assessment, blood glucose check and urgent escalation.
Seizure
First on scene
Protect from injury, ventilation and monitor recovery.
Fall
First on scene
Initial assessment, control bleeding, dress wound and reassurance.
Unconscious patient
Supporting EEAST
Support scene, relay information and reassure relatives.
Allergic reaction
Supporting EEAST
Provide reassurance and support care.
Breathing difficulty
First on scene
Observations and symptom assessment.
Unwell patient
First on scene
Initial assessment, observations and escalation for suspected sepsis.
Chest pain
Supporting EEAST
Continue observations and assist with preparation for transport.
Breathing difficulty
Supporting EEAST
Continue observations.
Palpitations
First on scene
History taking, observations and reassurance.
Hypoglycaemia
First on scene
Blood glucose check and administration of oral glucose.
Major haemorrhage
First on scene
Direct pressure and tourniquet use.
Collapse
First on scene
ABCDE assessment, observations and escalation.
Reduced consciousness
First on scene
Airway support with adjunct, observations, reassessment and escalation.
Illustrative examples only.
OUR PEOPLE—
Behind the Response
The volunteers, stories and moments that define what we do.
Coming soon...
OUR STORY —
Built from the ground up,
for Cambridge.
Cambridge has long been home to hundreds of student doctors, living and training in the city. Until recently, there was no structured way for them to contribute to emergency care in their community.In 2025, a student on the Cambridge Graduate Course in Medicine (CGCM) approached EEAST with a proposal: to create a dedicated Community First Responder pathway for University of Cambridge student doctors. EEAST welcomed the idea, and work began to build it properly.Student doctors have a strong clinical foundation, are locally based, and genuinely motivated to give back to the community they call home for many years. Through this initiative, they volunteer on behalf of EEAST, attending 999 calls across Cambridge and the surrounding area. Within a clearly defined scope of practice, they assess patients, initiate early management, and provide critical support before ambulance crews arrive.In mid-2026, the first cohort of 16 student doctors completed their training and became operational. Within their first two weeks alone, they contributed over 200 hours of volunteer response time, an early indication of both the demand for this kind of support, and the commitment of those involved.The Society is now expanding, with growing student interest and involvement. Our focus is on building a sustainable, high-quality model that can support more patients across Cambridge, while maintaining close collaboration with EEAST and the University.Our student volunteers participate as part of the Cambridge Student Community First Responder (SCFR) Scheme, an initiative founded in 2015 in memory of Douglas Gray Stephens, with a proud history of community volunteers supporting EEAST and the people of Cambridge.
First Student Committee
Freddie (Secretary), Ria (Training Officer), Caitlin (Welfare Officer),
Adam (President), Sam (Treasurer), Arya (Vice-President)
First Student Cohort in 2026
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Trained responders, already living and studying in the city
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Faster help in the minutes that matter most
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Assessment and care before the ambulance arrives
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Earlier intervention in time-critical emergencies
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Reassurance and support for patients and their families
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Reducing pressure on the ambulance service
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Supporting crews with a clinical picture on arrival
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The first initiative of its kind in EEAST, involving student doctors
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Attend 999 emergencies across Cambridge
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Provide immediate care within a defined scope of practice
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Work closely with ambulance crews on every call
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See the patient journey before hospital admission
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Develop clinical confidence in real situations
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Give back to the city you call home
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Entirely extracurricular, separate from your studies
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Gain insight into pre-hospital care
We are recruiting University of Cambridge student doctors (Years 2–5) to join our growing scheme. Read below to find out more, and express your interest when ready.Our recruitment cycle is currently closed. Please sign-up for our interest list here. (https://forms.office.com/e/fZwWhq3LNV)
Recruitment
When is the next recruitment cycle?+
Our current recruitment cycle is closed. Please join our interest list and follow us on Instagram for updates on the next intake.
Who can apply?+
Recruitment is currently focused on University of Cambridge student doctors in Years 2–5 who have completed MVST 1A and are not in their final year at the point of recruitment.
A full clean UK driving licence is preferred but not essential. Non-drivers are welcome to apply.
What are we looking for?+
We are looking for students who are reliable, calm, professional, and genuinely motivated to support patients and ambulance crews.
Previous first aid or pre-hospital experience is helpful, but not essential.
How does recruitment work?+
- Registration of interest via the online form
- EEAST interview<
- Review and shortlisting — based on motivation, suitability, and understanding of the role
- EEAST interview — decision based on EEAST interview
- Onboarding — DBS and occupational health checks, references, and mandatory online training
- Training and assessment day
Successful candidates must attend the EEAST training day.
The Role
What does the role involve?+
Once trained, responders sign up for shifts and respond to 999 calls when dispatched by EEAST.
There are no fixed shifts, participation is entirely flexible and fits around your schedule. Responders usually work in pairs, using the scheme's dedicated response vehicle, and provide early assessment and care within an EEAST-defined scope of practice until an ambulance crew arrives.
You always operate within your scope of practice and on behalf of the ambulance service.
What is the time commitment?+
We expect around 192 responding hours per year, typically two to three self-booked shifts per month.
Shifts are flexible and arranged around your availability. Being on call does not mean you are constantly attending emergencies, much of the time you are simply available and waiting to be dispatched. You are free to study or carry on with other activities, as long as you remain ready to respond when needed.
This flexibility helps fit volunteering around your studies and other commitments, while still making a meaningful contribution.
Do I need to drive?+
No. Non-drivers can fully participate and respond as part of a crew.
The response vehicle does not operate under blue light exemptions. CFRs are not able to claim any exemption under the Road Traffic Act and are therefore obliged to adhere to all road traffic regulations. The use of audible or visual devices, i.e. blue lights/sirens is strictly prohibited.
Why get involved?+
Joining the scheme offers more than clinical exposure:
- Be part of a supportive, tight-knit team of student doctors
- Gain first-hand insight into pre-hospital emergency care
- Develop clinical confidence, leadership, and teamwork in a real operational setting
- Make a direct contribution to patient care and the local community
This is an opportunity to contribute meaningfully while developing skills that are difficult to gain elsewhere.
Other Questions
Is this manageable alongside medical school?+
Yes, if you manage your time well. Shifts are self-booked and flexible.
During quieter periods on shift, you remain available to respond but may be able to study or rest. During busy academic periods such as exams, many volunteers reduce their hours.
We expect consistency over time, not intensity in short bursts.
I am in my final year. Can I apply?+
It is unlikely we recruit students within 12 months of completing their course. However, existing volunteers may continue into their final year subject to EEAST requirements.
I hold a pre-hospital qualification. Does this help?+
If you hold FREC 3, FREC 4, or a similar qualification, please let us know. This may support your application, though final decisions rest with EEAST.
Do other universities have similar schemes?+
Yes. Nottingham, Leeds, Newcastle, and many others run successful schemes. Cambridge's scheme is the first to initiative of its kind in the East of England.
SUPPORT US —
Help Us, Help You
We operate as a financially independent initiative. While the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides training and the loan of essential medical equipment, the running costs of our scheme, including our response vehicle and additional equipment, are met entirely through donations and fundraising.
Every contribution, large or small, directly supports our ability to respond. Without continued community support, we cannot maintain the standard of care our volunteers deliver, or grow the scheme to reach more patients across Cambridge.We are currently fundraising for a new response vehicle, a critical piece of infrastructure that enables our volunteers to reach patients faster.How you can support us:
- Individual donation — one-off or regular giving
- Corporate sponsorship — support the scheme as an organisation
- Fundraising events — get in touch to find out moreAll donations are held in a sub-account of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust Charitable Funds (registered charity number 1047987).To donate or discuss sponsorship, please contact us at:
[email protected]
Press / Media
Explore our media coverage via the links below:
Whether you have a question about joining, want to support the scheme, or just want to know more, we would love to hear from you.Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @camfirstrespondersFor the latest news and updates follow us on or social media account.
© 2026 Cambridge First Responder Society. All rights reserved.
