Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference (ACPIC24)
ACPIC 2024 delivered a wide range of clinical and research sessions from experts and leaders in paramedicine. Hosted in Sydney (September 2024) the program was designed to inspire, educate and broaden horizons.
Conference theme: Paramedicine's evolution – Embracing the new era
Closing Keynote Presentation - Words That Define Us: Reclaiming the Identity of Paramedicine
Words have power, and in the case of paramedicine, the words we choose can either elevate or limit the profession. Too often, paramedics are defined by terms like ambulance, transport, conveyance etc. rather than by the clinical expertise they bring to healthcare. Together, we will confront the outdated narrative that constrains the profession’s true scope and potential. By examining the language used in other healthcare fields, we’ll explore how paramedics can reclaim and actively shape their professional identity. This is a call to action: to break free from the limitations imposed by employers, governments, and public misconceptions, and ensure that paramedicine is understood, respected, and clinician-led. The future of our profession depends on the words we choose today and in the years to come.
Biography: Associate Professor Jason Bendall
Associate Professor Jason Bendall is specialist paramedic, specialist anaesthetist and specialist prehospital & retrieval specialist. Jason was the former Medical Director for NSW Ambulance and a Conjoint Associate Professor in Anaesthesia at the University of Newcastle.
Moderator: Lucy Oatley, Conference MC and Intensive Care Flight Paramedic
The College is the peak professional body representing and supporting paramedics and student paramedics across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand since 1973.
The College acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the land and sea in which we live and work, we recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and culture and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.
The College acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand.
