My exposure to out-of-hospital care started with the Cork City No. 1 Branch of the Irish Red Cross in 1994 when I joined as a volunteer cadet in the casualty service (aged 9!). Undertaking some of my first “ambulance” work at age 12/13, I progressed through various levels of first aid and emergency medical care training, and eventually trained as an Emergency Medical First Responder and Instructor. Following this, I was a student nurse in University College Cork and Cork Voluntary Hospitals. I taught and coordinated the Irish Red Cross EMFR, EFR, and EMT courses. I trained in the National Ambulance Service College, and worked as a paramedic for the National Ambulance Service in Ireland, based in the Mid-West region (Limerick/Tipperary/Clare).
I worked as a paramedic in Ireland for several years, and then gained experience in several countries in Europe until moving to Canada. I trained as a Critical Care Paramedic in the USA, and after this I worked as a Paramedic Educator in both the UAE and the USA. In the UAE I was responsible for program development, and clinical governance activities, including on-road clinical supervision and clinical incident investigations. Since returning to Canada from the Middle East, I have mainly focused on research and teaching activities, and now work casually as a paramedic when I get the opportunity. I hold current paramedic certifications in Ireland (PHECC registered), the UK (HCPC registered), and Ontario (AEMCA certified).
Qualifications
- PhD, Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Australia.
- Member of the Academy of Medical Educators (MAcadMEd), UK.
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK.
- Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education (PGCME), Newcastle University, UK.
- Certificate in Disaster Management, Jamsetji Tata School of Disaster Studies, India.
- MSc in Critical Care, Cardiff University, UK.
- Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Paramedic Studies, Charles Sturt University, Australia.
- Critical Care Paramedic program, Creighton University, USA.
- Diploma in Emergency Medical Technology, University College Dublin, Ireland.