Where Are Shan Shan and Maryam Now? Critical Between Life and Death Update

Author of Where Are Shan Shan and Maryam Now? Critical Between Life and Death Update Shivangi Sinha
July 25, 2025

Netflix’s ‘Critical: Between Life and Death’ offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look into the operations of some of the UK’s most respected trauma centres. Through real-time cases, viewers witnessed how different departments coordinate under immense pressure to save lives. Two standout voices in the series were Shan Shan Jing, a plastic surgeon, and Maryam Alfa-Wali, a trauma surgeon. Both played very important roles in helping patients not only survive life-threatening injuries but also regain their quality of life through timely and skilled intervention.

Shan Shan and Maryam Suffered Personal Loss in Their Lives

Both Shan Shan Jing and Maryam Alfa-Wali showed a deep sense of empathy toward the patients they treated. They were not just shaped by their training but also by personal tragedy. After working with the NHS for some time, Shan Shan decided to take a break and moved to New Zealand with her then-partner at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She described th at period as idyllic, until March 2022, when they were rear-ended by an oil tanker. Shan Shan suffered serious injuries and had to be airlifted to Wellington CCDHB, but her partner passed away at the scene. Maryam’s story, though different, echoed the same sense of loss. When she was still in school, her friends invited her on a drive she wanted to join, but her mother insisted she stay home.

Maryam Alfa-Wali

That night, her friends were in a fatal car crash, and one of them died. For both women, survivor’s guilt lingered and became a driving force in their medical careers. Shan Shan, having been a trauma patient herself, developed an acute awareness of the often-unseen needs of those in crisis and made it a priority to treat her patients with not just medical care but emotional attentiveness. Maryam, too, channelled her grief into purpose, striving to save lives with the hope that no one else would have to face the losses she knew so intimately.

Shan Shan Jing is Working With the NHS Today

Shan Shan Jing completed her MBBS from University College London (UCL) in 2008 and immediately began her medical journey with the NHS. Her foundational training took place from August 2008 to July 2010 at the Northwest Thames Foundation School, rotating through hospitals such as St Mary’s and Ealing. She then pursued intensive training in plastic surgery under Health Education England, which she completed in 2019. Following this, she gained further specialization as an Advanced Training Post (ATP) Hand Fellow at Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust from 2019 to 2020, and then continued at the same hospital as a Nerve Fellow for another year.

Her expertise led her to work as a Wellington Aesthetic Fellow with HCA Healthcare before relocating to New Zealand in June 2021. There, she served as a locum plastic surgeon with Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand. However, life took a turn after her accident in 2022. After taking a year off to recover physically and emotionally, Shan Shan returned to the UK. Since January 2023, she has been based in London and works as a Consultant Plastic, Hand and Nerve Surgeon at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Today, Shan Shan is widely respected by both peers and patients. Those who have been treated by her often commend her precision, compassion, and the rare ability to truly listen.

Many speak of how her thoughtful approach and calm reassurance brought not just healing but also comfort during vulnerable times. Open about her personal trauma, Shan Shan frequently shares her story as a way to empower others. By speaking up about her grief, recovery, and the emotional toll of survival, she is helping to destigmatize conversations around pain and resilience in the medical world. She is, in many ways, reclaiming her narrative. Today, Shan Shan is not only saving lives but also making the most of her own.

Maryam Alfa-Wali is Continuing Her Work as a Trauma Surgeon

Maryam Alfa-Wali, the first Black female trauma surgeon in the UK, continues to lead an impactful and inspiring career. Originally from Kano, Nigeria, she came to England with her parents and nine siblings. She chose to remain in London while her family returned home and was determined to pursue a path shaped by the loss of a close friend in her 20s. Without formal training in trauma surgery available at the time, she gained hands-on experience across various hospitals. Her academic journey is extensive with degrees in Physiology, Biochemistry, and Medicine from Cardiff University, followed by a Ph.D. in Metabonomics and an M.Ed. in Surgical Education from Imperial College London.

Professionally, Maryam has built an impressive portfolio. From 2019 to 2020, she worked at Barts Health NHS Trust. Since December 2020, she has served as a Consultant Surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and, since January 2022, as an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at Imperial College London. Additionally, she runs her own private practice at The Harley Street Clinic as a Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon. She also plays a key role at St Mary’s Major Trauma Centre in London, which is one of the country’s leading Level 1 trauma units.

A fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, Maryam is deeply invested in mentoring, surgical education, and improving trauma care systems. Her commitment extends beyond the operating room; she regularly advocates for diversity and inclusion within medicine, aiming to break down barriers for underrepresented groups in surgery. In interviews and speaking engagements, she underscores the importance of team collaboration in trauma care, emphasizing that successful outcomes are the result of an entire system working seamlessly. Through her clinical expertise, academic contributions, and advocacy, Maryam continues to challenge norms and inspire future generations with whatever she does.

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