Flinders University launches Bachelor of Paramedicine (Honours) degree

Flinders University has introduced a new Bachelor of Paramedicine (Honours) in 2025.

The course has been designed for paramedics to equip them to answer discipline-relevant questions related to healthcare delivery, education and workforce sustainability while making a positive difference to the world.

It is intended to build upon existing knowledge and skills to advance understanding of research principles and methods through structured learning, leading to the planning and completion of a scholarly research project under the supervision of experienced research mentors.

With research-focused transferable skills, an honours degree in paramedicine will allow students to rise to the challenge across a broad range of employers in health and beyond.

The course is available full-time or part-time and mid-year entry is available (part-time only).

Examples of research projects being undertaken by paramedicine honours students include:

• Extending the doctoral thesis of her Principal Supervisor Dr. Madeleine Juhrmann, SA Ambulance Service paramedic and honours student Sophia is developing an implementation strategy for a systematic palliative paramedicine framework (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02692163241234004).

• Students Diya and Marco are evaluating the use and effectiveness of virtual care services by paramedics. This is a part of a $1 million funding grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council under the leadership of Professor Jonathan Karnon (https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2024/04/30/improving-virtual-emergency-departments-to-keep-people-out-of-hospital/).

• Paramedic intern and honours student Emma is investigating the effects of ambulance health service rosters and shift work on paramedic health, including sleep. This project is under the expert guidance of A/Prof Amy Reynolds and her team at the flagship Sleep Health (https://www.flinders.edu.au/fhmri/research/sleep-health) research program at the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute.

In this course, students study coursework topics (alongside other health professionals including nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, health sciences and nutrition honours students), where they will further develop vital health research skills such as:

• Literature searching

• Critical appraisal of published research

• Research ethics

• Qualitative and quantitative research approaches, methodologies, methods and software

• Research grant applications

• Advanced written and verbal communication skills

• Project management

• Teamwork and leadership

Students will also undertake an advanced independent scholarly research project under the supervision of expert researchers and industry advisors, relevant to the discipline of paramedicine.

For more information about the course, email James Pearce, Bachelor of Paramedicine (Honours) Course Coordinator at paramedicine.honours@flinders.edu.au.

You can also find more information at: https://www.flinders.edu.au/study/courses/honours-bachelor-paramedicine.