Paramedic Pre-Employment Education and the Concerns of Our Future: What are Our Expectations?

Objective To analyse Monash University pre-employment students’ concerns about gaining employment with ambulance services in Australia. Design A Likert-based questionnaire and open-ended questions. Setting On campus study, Peninsula Campus, Frankston, Australia. Participants Eighty-eight (n=88) students studying the Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic) degree at Monash University. Results Interestingly, 45% of students intend to only apply to a Victorian ambulance service, with less than 10% of students stating they would accept an interstate position if successful in a Victorian service and interstate. Thematic analysis gained from the open-ended questions also emphasised many concerns students had regarding employment from a pre-employment perspective including: pre-employment education not being recognised, lack of workload, geographical isolation once employed and perception of being too young. Conclusion The findings of this study highlight many barriers in gaining employment and emphasise pertinent issues that not only currently confront the students of pre-employment education at Monash University, but also for pre-employment students studying around Australia.