I completed by BSc in Paramedic Science with Anglia Ruskin University in 2017. I then registered as a Paramedic and have been working in Hertfordshire since then with the East of England Ambulance. I completed a level 6 module in Practice Education to become a Practice Educator (mentor) and now work with our students and apprentices, helping them develop. I completed a secondment in our control room, performing telephone triage of patients and developing my remote assessment skills. I now work on one of our rapid response vehicles (car), responding primarily to our most critically unwell patients. I also have a role as a ‘Change Agent’ within my workplace, liaising with senior management to discuss and help implement changes and act as a communication link between frontline staff and management, providing feedback on proposed changes.
Outside of work, I completed a one-year scholarship program with the Healthcare Leadership Academy, which is designed to develop the leadership skills of newly qualified healthcare professionals. Since then, I have become more involved with the organisation and have taken on the role of Assistant Cohort Director, helping to run one of the many cohorts across the country.
Prior to registering as a Paramedic, I volunteered regularly with St John Ambulance in a variety of roles. Some of this was clinical work, providing first aid at events, but my main role was as the Area Manager for my local area where I was responsible for the running of several volunteer units and the line management of the Unit Managers.
I am hoping to keep developing my leadership and clinical skills, and would like to take on a clinical leadership role within my trust, helping develop clinical policy and investigating adverse incidents. My degree with the University of Edinburgh is helping me develop both of these skills and hopefully will help develop my career down this pathway. Being awarded the RCPE scholarship is a great honour and I am very proud of achieving it, and very grateful for the significant help this will provide.