The largest ever intake into Ambulance Victoria's Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) Bridging Program will hit the road from today - delivering more specialised, lifesaving care to Victorians when they need it most.
Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas visited the Ambulance Victoria Capability Hub at Victoria University in Sunshine to meet the 30 interns who will join Victoria's 586-strong MICA team.
The group started their six-week training course in January and will be joined on the road by a further 24 MICA interns later this year - backed by the Allan Labor Government's record investment into our paramedics.
To be eligible to undertake the bridging program and become a MICA Paramedic, participants must be qualified for at least two years as an Advanced Life Support Paramedic.
The six-week course covers clinical responses to respiratory, cardiac, paediatric and obstetrics incidents as well as sessions with specialists on welfare, wellbeing, pharmacy and leadership.
Once theoretical training is complete, the MICA interns begin 18 months of practical on road training which is undertaken across the state.
Fully trained MICA paramedics can work solo or in pairs, managing complex cases with advanced procedures such as airway management, head and chest trauma care, and cardiac emergencies. They can also administer medications into bone and fluids in paediatric patients - providing immediate treatment that can help save lives.
The Labor Government has invested more than $2 billion into ambulance services - recruiting more than 2,200 additional paramedics, delivering 41 new or upgraded ambulance stations and establishing a new Centre for Paramedicine in partnership with Victoria University.
A further $146 million from the Victorian Budget 2024/25 is supporting services like the Secondary Triage Service and Medium Acuity Transport Services, freeing up paramedics so they are available to respond to the most time-critical patients.
These investments are as important as ever, with the latest quarterly performance data revealing Victoria's hardworking paramedics continue to face record demand, responding to nearly 100,000 Code 1 cases this quarter.
As stated by Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas
"This next generation of MICA paramedics will make a real difference in supporting faster, more specialised care in some of the most complex emergency cases - bringing advanced clinical care to the community and saving lives."
"Our MICA paramedics are the best of the best - it's why we'll always invest in our paramedics to upskill, so they can keep delivering world-class emergency care to all Victorians."
As stated by Member for St Albans Natalie Suleyman
"Victoria University in Sunshine North plays an important role in training our world-class paramedics, helping us grow our ambulance on-road workforce."
