In recognition of his more than 40-year career as both a paramedic and paramedic educator and his many contributions to the profession, College Board Director and Fellow Dr Bill Lord was bestowed with a Member (AM) in the General Division in the King's Birthday 2023 Honours List.

It marks another milestone in his storied career that has included being a representative and member of numerous national committees and professional bodies, among those the Council of Ambulance Authorities’ National Education Committee, the Australasian Resuscitation Council, Pain Australia, the Queensland Department of Education, Skills and Employment’s Ambulance and Paramedic Industry Reference Committee, the Network of Australasian Paramedic Academics, as well as Chair of the Victorian Ambulance Clinical Information System Bursary Committee, and Deputy Co-Chair of the Ahpra Paramedicine Accreditation Committee.

Dr Lord, an Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University and Adjunct Professor at Australian Catholic University, has been a pioneer in paramedic education and was previously Associate Professor and Discipline Lead of the Paramedic Science Program at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Senior Lecturer and Course Coordinator of Bachelor of Health Science (Pre-Hospital Care) Program at Charles Sturt University.

He said he was humbled by and grateful for the honour, calling it “a really lovely acknowledgement of my career”.

“To be quite honest it really came as a surprise, but I have to say that the award has caused me to reflect on my career and to be aware of just what a wonderful and fortunate career it's been. I've been very lucky to have all the opportunities I've had in the 40-plus years I've worked as a paramedic and before than an ambulance officer.

“One of the things that, I reflected on when I did a search to see how many other paramedics have received this award was that it's really uncommon, and I don't know why that is because there are a lot of other people that have done outstanding work over the duration of their careers who really also should be recognised.

However, he said the fact that paramedics were being recognised at this level was evidence of paramedicine’s growing visibility.

"Paramedics are finally becoming more recognised for the valuable role they add to the care of people in the community.”