Ambulance Victoria's (AV) largest cohort of new Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics have hit the road.
The 30 paramedics recently completed the MICA Bridging Program and now start on-road training alongside qualified MICA paramedics.
AV Director Operational Capability Trevor Weston said the MICA interns were a significant boost for critical care across the state.
"This group continues to help us meet the needs of the growing Victorian community," he said.
"They demonstrate the exceptional skill of AV's workforce and will make an enormous contribution to our delivery of best care to all patients."
The new cohort of MICA paramedics have started their on-road training.
MICA paramedics have an expanded clinical skill set and can perform high-level medical procedures including advanced airway management, administer intraosseous (into bone) medication and provide greater management of cardiac and traumatic conditions.
From today, 25 of the interns will be based in metropolitan Melbourne and five in regional Victoria, including branches in Campbellfield, Rosebud, Frankston, Hampton Park, Tarneit, Ravenhall, Ringwood East, Bundoora, Ballarat, Geelong and Morwell.
Paramedics Meg Place and Daniel Allwood are among the new cohort.
Meg originally joined AV in 2012 as an Ambulance Community Officer (ACO) in Timboon.
She has since worked as an Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic at various branches in Barwon South West, including Belmont, Portland, Lara and Norlane, and as a clinical instructor and on an ambulance response unit.
Meg said she's looking forward to applying her intensive care skills in the Geelong area.
"While it has been a steep learning curve, I've found the bridging program rewarding and feel excited and prepared to go in-field," she said.
"I always aspired to become a MICA paramedic and after being around my Geelong MICA mentors, I knew it's what I wanted. Their leadership, the way they conduct themselves and their advanced clinical knowledge was inspirational."
Daniel Allwood (left) and Meg Place (right) are among the 30 new MICA paramedics.
Daniel worked at the London Ambulance Service for three years as a qualified paramedic and single response paramedic before returning to Australia and working as a registered nurse.
Since joining AV, he has worked at the Lilydale branch as an ALS paramedic and clinical instructor and on an ambulance response unit.
Daniel said the MICA Bridging Program was a "fantastic professional challenge".
"I consider myself lucky to be part of such a motivated and talented cohort of MICA interns that have supported each other through the initial stages of our intensive care career," he said.
"I am proud and excited to join the incredible team in Ringwood and provide care to the wider community I grew up in."
The MICA Bridging Program covers a range of clinical areas including respiratory, cardiac, trauma, medical, paediatric and obstetrics.
"Our MICA paramedics have a reputation as being among the best in the world and, therefore, our MICA Interns have access to the best training facilities and expertise," Trevor said.
"We congratulate this cohort on their achievements to date and wish them all the best for this next stage in their AV career."
Another 24 ALS paramedics will commence the MICA Bridging Program this year, totalling 54 new MICA paramedics on-road in 2025.
Enrolment into the AV MICA Bridging Program occurs after successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Specialist Paramedic Practice at Monash University or an equivalent qualification.
