Engaging rural communities in health care through a paramedic expanded scope of practice

A/Prof Christine Stirling

qualifications: PhD

contribution: original concept, designed the project, devised survey tool, literature review, supervised data collection, statistical analysis, wrote the first draft

position: Assistant director

Australia

Associate Professor Christine Stirling has a career long interest in improving community based healthcare through nursing practice and research.

Peter O'Meara

qualifications: PhD

position: Associate professor in pre-hospital care

Australia

Dr Peter O'Meara is Professor of Rural and Regional Paramedicine, La Trobe Rural Health School. His academic interests lie in health and education policy, program evaluation, pre-hospital care systems and urgent care models. Peter completed his Doctorate in 2002 at the University of New South Wales researching "Service Delivery Models for Rural Ambulance Services in Victoria" using soft systems methodolody.

Daryl Pedler

qualifications: FRACGP, FACRRM

position: Director

Australia

I am presently the Director of the Rural Community Clinical School (Graduate entry medical course) for Deakin University in Victoria, Australia. My research interests are injury related, (with a particular interest in Farm Injury), health professional education and population health.

Vianne Tourle

qualifications: BA

position: Research associate

Australia

Vianne works as a Research Associate at Charles Sturt University, Bathurst. She brings to the position experience in rural community development, social development, and project management in both arts and health. Vianne has assisted research programmes in the fields of paramedicine; crisis communication; secondary education, gender and IT; incentives and motivations for rural teachers; media and information technology.

Prof Judi Walker

qualifications: PhD

position: Associate dean (teaching and learning)

Australia

Professor Judi Walker holds the inaugural Chair of Rural Health at the University of Tasmania, recognising the significant contribution she has made to the development of academic rural health in Australia. Her background and achievements exemplify the interdisciplinary and multiprofessional nature of rural health. Judi has overall responsibility for the Faculty of Health Science's rural health portfolio. She is Chief Executive of the University's Rural Clinical School - a conjoint appointment with the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services. Judi has an international reputation for practice and research in rural medical/health professional education, interdisciplinary education,innovation in health service delivery and education and training for health workforce reform. She leads a research team looking at health care models and policy approaches for rural older people. Judi has a longstanding engagement with paramedic education and is a member of the national Ambulance Education Council. In 2005 she completed a significant consultancy for the Council of Ambulance Authorities and developed Australia's national accreditation system for university paramedic programs.